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THOMAS  BERTHELET 


V 


THOMAS  BBRTHELET 


ROYAL  PRINTER  AND  BOOKBINDER  TO  HENRY  VIII. 
KING  OF  ENGLAND 


WITH  SPECIAL  REFERENCE  TO  HIS  BOOKBINDINGS 


BY 

CYRIL  DAVENPORT,  F.  S.  A. 

OF  THE  BRITISH  MUSEUM 

AUTHOR  OF  THE  ENGLISH  REGALIA,  ROYAL  ENGLISH  BOOKBINDINGS,  ENGLISH  EMBROIDERED 
BOOKBINDINGS,  CANTOR  LECTURES  ON  BOOKBINDING,  CAMEOS,  ETC. 


CHICAGO 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  CAXTON  CLUB 
MDCCCCI 


COPYEIGHT  BY  THE  CAXTON  CLUB 
NINETEEN  HUNDEED  AND  ONE 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTEfl  PAGE 

I.    English  Bookbinding  up  to  the  Time  of  Henry  VIII.   .       ,  13 

II.    Documentary  Evidence  Concerning  Berthelet  and  his  Work  29 

III.    The  Bookbindings  of  Thomas  Berthelet,  with  Detailed  De- 
scriptions OF  Some  Typical  Examples   ....  57 


Index 


99 


( 


LIST  OF  ILI/USTEATIONS. 


PLATE  NO.  PAGE 

I.  Calf  Binding  of  Bembo's  "  Historicae  Venetae.   Libri  XII. 

Venice,  1551."   Made  for  Edward  VI.      .       .  Frontispiece 

II.  Title-Page  of  John  Gower's  Confessio  Amantis.  London, 

1532    10 

III.  Berthelet's  Device  of  Lucretia  Stabbing  Herself     .       .  16 

IV.  Legend  Written  on  the  Edges  of  a  Volume  of  Sixteenth- 

Century  Tracts,  Bound  in  Red  Satin  for  Henry  VIII.     .  20 

V.  Calf  Binding  of  "Galteri  Deloeni  Libellus  de  Tribus 
Hierarchiis."  a  MS.  Dedicated  to  Henry  VIIL,  and 
Bound  for  Him  24 

VI.  Calf  Binding  of  a  Copy  of  the  Works  of  St.  Chrysostom, 

Printed  at  Basle  in  1530.    Made  for  Henry  VIII.  .       .  30 

VII.  White  Leather  Binding  of  a  MS.  Entitled  "La  Science 

DE  Geometrie"  36 

VIIL  Upper  Cover  of  the  Calf  Binding  of  Vol.  I.  of  a  Bible 
Printed  at  Antwerp  in  1534.  Made  for  Henry  VIII. 
AND  Queen  Anne  Boleyn  42 

IX.  Satin  Binding  of  a  Collection  of  Sixteenth -Century 

Tracts.   Made  for  Henry  VIII  46 

X.  Calf  Binding  of  "Jul.  Claud  Iguini  Oratio  ad  Hen. VHL" 

Made  for  the  King  52 


XL  Velvet  Binding  of  a  Bible  Printed  at  Zurich  in  1543. 
Made  for  Henry  VIII  


58 


10  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

XII.  Calf  Binding  of  "Trogus  Pompeius.  Chorographica, 

1546.  "    Made  for  Prince  Edward  62 

XIII.  Calf  Binding  of  a  MS.  Commentary  on  the  Campaign  of 

THE  Emperor  Charles  V.  against  the  French  in  1544. 
Made  for  Henry  VIII.,  to  Whom  the  MS.  is  Addressed  68 

XIV.  Calf  Binding  of  "La  Cyropedie  de  Xenophon.  Paris, 

1547.  "    Made  for  Edward  VI.  74 

XV.  White  Leather  Binding  of  "Joannes  a  Lasco.    Brevis  de 

Sacramentis  Ecc.  Christi  Tractatio.    London,  1552."  .  78 

XVI.  White  Leather  Binding  of  "D.  Aurelii  Augustini  Hip- 
poNENSis  Ep.  Tam  in  Vetus  Quam  in  Novum  Test.  Com- 
mentarii.    Bas.,  1542."    Made  for  Queen  Mary    .       .  82 

XVII.  Calf  Binding  of  Queen  Mary's  Prayer-Book.     MS.  on 

Vellum.    Bound  for  the  Queen  84 

XVIII.  Calf  Binding  of  "Epitome  Omnium  Operum  Divi  Aurelii 

Augustini.    Col.,  1549."    Made  for  Queen  Mary  .       .  90 


CHAPTER  1. 

ENGLISH  BOOKBINDING  UP  TO  THE  TIME  OF  HENRY  VIII. 


CHAPTER  I. 


ENGLISH  BOOKBINDING  UP  TO  THE  TIME  OF  HENRY  VHI. 

Such  English  bookbindings  of  an  early  date  as  still  exist  are, 
as  a  rule,  bound  in  dark  brown  goatskin  or  brown  sheepskin.  The 
earliest  notices  about  bookbindings  are  to  be  found  in  some  of  the 
wardrobe  accounts  of  Edward  IV.,  but  of  the  many  bindings  which 
were  made  for  that  king,  the  only  remaining  sign  now  left  is  a  loose 
cover  in  the  library  of  Westminster  Abbey;  it  is  ornamented  with  a 
panel  stamp  bearing  the  king's  arms,  with  supporters. 

In  Mediaeval  times,  books,  mostly  religious,  were  generally  writ- 
ten, copied,  illuminated,  and  bound  in  the  monasteries  themselves, 
and  were  frequently  of  large  size.  After  the  date  at  which  printing 
was  introduced  into  Europe,  about  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth  cen- 
tury, books  became  commoner,  and  very  soon,  as  a  general  rule, 
smaller,  the  printer,  binder,  and  publisher  usually  combining  in  his 
own  person  the  functions  hitherto  performed  by  separate  artists  and 
artificers, —  the  illuminators,  scribes,  silversmiths,  goldsmiths,  jewel- 
lers, enamellers,  and  workers  in  leather,  wood,  or  ivory.  In  short, 
the  art  of  producing  books  became  in  every  way  a  less  ornamental 
and  a  commoner  one. 

It  is  disappointing  that  no  single  specimen  of  the  rich  Mediae- 
val style  of  bookbinding  exists  of  English  workmanship.  Such 
bindings  were  undoubtedly  made  here,  and  numerous  drawings  of 
them  are  to  be  seen  in  contemporary  manuscript.  It  is  certain  that 
the  intrinsic  value  of  these  covers  attracted  the  attention  of  some 
of  our  sovereigns,  especially  the  early  Tudors,  and  whenever  they 

13 


14 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


were  of  any  value  at  all,  the  crucible  accounts  for  their  disappear- 
ance. Luckily  the  manuscripts  themselves,  now  infinitely  more  val- 
uable than  the  gold  and  silver  which  formerly  covered  them,  have 
in  innumerable  instances  been  carefully  preserved  unhurt.  But  it 
is  some  comfort  to  know  that  much  beautiful  work  of  the  kind  we 
have  so  unfortunately  lost  here  can  be  seen  and  studied  in  Dublin, 
at  the  Royal  Irish  Academy  and  other  institutions.  In  that  city 
are  to  be  seen  noble  specimens  of  the  old  book  shrines,  or  covers, 
which  protected  the  valuable  manuscripts,  illuminated  sometimes  by 
the  ancient  Irish  scribes  in  such  richness  that  they  have  never  been 
excelled  in  beauty.  These  covers  are  in  all  probability  nearly  the 
same  as  the  English  ones  were;  they  bear  ornamentation  of  a  simi- 
lar Gothic  character,  nearly  analogous  to  the  Anglo-Saxon  styles, 
and  the  jewels  are  cut  and  set  in  the  same  way  as  is  found  in  old 
English  jewellers'  work.  The  ''cumdach,"  or  cover,  of  Molaise's 
Gospels,  that  of  the  Stowe  missal  and  "Dimma's  book,"  are  all 
beautiful  examples.  The  Irish  jewellers  were  justly  celebrated  work- 
men ;  they  migrated  largely  to  the  Continent,  and  traces  of  their  skill 
often  show  on  Byzantine  bindings  made  from  about  the  ninth  to 
the  eleventh  centuries.  The  older  part  of  the  magnificent  cover  of 
the  Gospels  of  Lindau  is  Irish  work.  This  was  shown  in  1891 
at  the  Burlington  Fine  Art  Club,  and  until  lately  was  the  property 
of  the  Earl  of  Ashburnham.  It  is  one  of  the  most  gorgeous  book- 
bindings in  existence. 

In  some  Eastern  countries  bordering  on  Europe,  especially  the 
north  of  Africa  and  parts  of  Asia,  books  were  bound  in  leather  and 
ornamented  with  gold  at  a  very  early  date.  Signs  of  such  work 
are  found  on  bindings  of  the  twelfth  century  onwards,  but  it  is 
always  rare,  and  only  sparingly  used.  The  manner  of  working  the 
gold  differs  considerably  from  the  way  it  is  treated  now.  Persian, 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


15 


Arabian,  and  Egyptian  work  of  this  sort  is  of  great  interest,  and  well 
deserves  more  attention  and  examination  than  it  has  yet  received. 
It  even  seems  that  some  kind  of  gilding  on  books  was  practised  in 
England  as  early  as  1480,  as  appears  from  one  of  the  accounts 
of  Piers  Courteys,  keeper  of  the  King's  Great  Wardrobe  in  the  City  of 
London;  but  there  is  not  enough  information  given  to  enable  us  to 
say  what  sort  of  gilding  this  was,  neither  do  the  existing  specimens 
throw  any  definite  light  on  this  particular  point. 

The  account  in  which  this  reference  to  gilding  on  books  occurs 
is  one  of  the  entries  referring  to  the  Privy  Purse  Expenses  of  Eliza- 
beth of  York,  daughter  of  Edward  IV.,  and  afterwards  wife  to  Henry 
VII.;  the  words  are  as  follows:  — 

"Piers  Bauduyn  stacioner  for  bynding  gilding  and  dressing  of 
a  booke  called  Titus  Livius  XXs ;  for  binding  gilding  and  dressing 
of  a  booke  of  The  Holy  Trinite  XVjs;  for  binding  gilding  and 
dressing  of  a  booke  called  The  Bible  XVjs ;  for  binding  gilding 
and  dressing  of  a  booke  called  Le  Gouvernment  of  Kings  and 
Princes  XVj ; . . .  and  for  binding  and  gilding  and  dressing  of  a 
booke  called  The  Bible  Historial  XXs." 

It  is,  I  think,  probable  that  these  bindings  were  ornamented 
with  panel  stamps,  which  were  simply  gilded  all  over,  and  that  the 
process  referred  to  was  not  that  which  is  now  generally  understood 
as  gold-tooling. 

During  the  Middle  Ages  Venice  was  the  most  important  Euro- 
pean centre  of  trade  with  Eastern  countries,  and  so  it  naturally 
comes  about  that  the  first  European  gold-tooling  on  leather  comes 
from  that  great  art  centre,  and  occurs  in  Italian  bindings  of  the 
fifteenth  century.  Not  only  does  gold-tooling  first  appear  in  Vene- 
tian work,  but  there  also  it  reached  its  highest  development,  several 
of  the  early  bindings  tooled  in  gold  on  dark  leathers  being  quite 


16 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


unsurpassed  for  delicacy  and  originality  of  design,  as  well  as  for 
beauty  of  workmanship.  In  several  of  these  bindings  the  direct 
inspiration  that  has  been  afforded  by  the  study  of  Oriental  originals 
is  very  apparent. 

Innumerable  also  are  the  methods  the  Italian  artists  followed 
with  regard  to  their  management  of  gold  leaf,  or  gold  foil ;  sometimes 
a  whole  design  is  picked  out  with  minute  gold  dots,  sometimes  back- 
grounds are  flatly  gilded  all  over,  leaving  the  design  on  the  leather, 
and  sometimes  the  method  of  working  closely  resembles  that  fol- 
lowed at  the  present  day.  The  early  Venetian  bookbinders,  as  well  as 
some  of  the  Oriental  gilders,  knew  some  way  of  gilding  a  line  drawn 
on  leather  by  means  of  a  style.  This  is  a  difficult  thing  to  do,  but 
effective  in  competent  hands;  and  if  it  could  be  done  with  any 
degree  of  safety,  such  a  process  would  now  open  up  an  entirely  new 
field  for  decorative  bookbinders,  who  are  at  present  much  bound 
down  by  the  limitations  forced  upon  them  in  consequence  of  chiefly 
using  set  stamps  specially  cut  for  each  curve  and  bend  and  detail. 
Of  course  such  lines  are  easy  to  execute  in  blind,  but  it  is  when  the 
gilding  begins  that  the  difficulties  increase.  The  essential  point  in 
gold-tooling  on  leather,  as  we  know  it,  consists  in  the  fixation  of 
gold  leaf  by  means  of  albumen.  The  design  is  marked  in  blind  on 
leather  and  painted  over  with  glair  of  egg,  the  gold  leaf  then  being 
carefully  laid  over  it;  the  marks  of  the  blind-tooling  show  clearly 
through  the  gold,  and  each  of  these  impressions  is  steadily  reim- 
pressed  with  the  same  tools  in  the  same  places  over  the  gold.  The 
tools  are  heated  to  a  point  just  sufficient  to  harden  the  albumen 
without  burning  the  leather.  If  necessary,  this  process  can  be 
repeated  again  and  again,  until  in  the  finest  specimens  of  such 
work  the  gold  looks  as  if  wires  of  the  solid  burnished  metal  were 
actually  inlaid  on  the  leather.    The  albumen  protected  by  the  gold 


Jlf  •IT' 
)/iiii.'i/.'i>  /  ' '  ■' 


as  well  art  for 
rigs  the  direct 
ental  originals 

♦"n'?on-ed 

08 


n 

is  a  d.  u  to  do,  but 

piATF  iji  ^*  ^^^^'^     ^^^^  ^'^^^ 

safet  '  T  now  o|  i  ectirely  new 

BEKTIIKLKTS  \)\-:\WK  OK  LICKETIA  STAHI!1.\(,  I  lEKSI-:^.;.  boUnd 

See  |iii.i.';f  '[y 
ll. 

the 

I  point  in 
ition  of 
■jlind  on 
I  lien  being 
'  clearly 


ue 

.  such 
tal  were 
the  gold 


THOMAS  BEKTHELET. 


17 


makes  such  a  strong  surface  that  frequently  the  gilded  letters,  or 
designs,  which  were  of  course  originally  in  intaglio,  are  found  in 
relief,  the  explanation  being  that  the  surrounding  leather,  being 
unprotected,  has  worn  or  powdered  away  all  around.  The  use  of  albu- 
men is,  however,  not  entirely  without  a  drawback,  as  it  is  a  favourite 
food  for  some  small  grub,  so  that  sometimes,  instead  of  a  beautiful 
gilded  line,  there  is  only  a  small  trench  following  the  same  track, 
all  the  gold  and  all  the  albumen  having  been  eaten  away,  leaving 
the  design  as  it  was,  but  in  a  different  colour. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  earliest  English  binding  now  existing 
on  which  gold  occurs  is  in  the  Bodlein  Library  at  Oxford,  but  it 
would  hardly  come  under  the  heading  of  gold-tooling.  It  is  on  a 
manuscript  written  by  Eobert  Witinton  about  1516,  and  was  given 
by  him  to  Cardinal  Wolsey.  The  binding  is  in  brown  sheepskin, 
and  is  decorated  with  block  impressions  from  panel  stamps,  three 
on  each  side,  the  centre  one  representing  St.  George  and  the  dragon, 
and  the  side  ones  bearing  the  Tudor  emblems,  portcullis,  pomegran- 
ate, and  double  rose.  These  stamps  are  well  and  boldly  cut,  and 
the  impressions  are  gilded,  but  I  think  it  would  be  difficult  to  say 
positively  whether  they  were  simply  overlaid  with  gold  leaf  after 
being  made  on  the  leather,  or  whether  the  gold  was  fixed  by  the 
operation  of  stamping.  I  rather  expect  the  latter  method  was  used ; 
but  the  volume  is  a  very  curious  and  interesting  one  even  if  such 
is  not  the  case,  and  to  some  extent  may  explain  the  gilding  men- 
tioned in  Piers  Courteys's  account. 

In  England  during  the  fifteenth  century  the  printing,  bind- 
ing, and  publishing  of  printed  books  generally  vested  in  the  same 
individual,  but  by  degrees  these  processes  became  specialized,  and 
towards  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century  they  were  carried  out  by 
different  persons.    Now  and  then,  among  the  earlier  specimens  of 


18 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


Berthelet's  work,  designs  of  a  similar  kind  occur  on  the  outside 
of  the  binding  in  gold,  and  inside  the  book  printed  in  black.  The 
occurrence  of  such  a  peculiarity  would  point  strongly  to  the  proba- 
bility of  the  printer  having  also  been  the  binder,  or  at  all  events  that 
the  control  of  both  processes  was  in  the  hands  of  the  same  master. 

Although  no  Mediaeval  English  bindings  of  the  richer  sort  are 
now  left,  several  of  the  simpler  kind  bound  in  leather  still  remain. 
Most  of  these  are  ornamented  with  impressions  from  small  cameo 
stamps  impressed  in  blind, — that  is  to  say,  without  gold.  Most  of 
such  bindings  are  bound  in  dark  brown  leather,  either  goatskin, 
corresponding  to  our  morocco,  or  sheepskin,  corresponding  to  our 
roan.  Each  of  these  old  leathers  is  sound  and  fine  in  colour,  and 
always  brown;  colour  dyes  for  leather,  except  red,  being  a  later, 
and  probably  hurtful,  innovation. 

The  boards  of  these  bindings,  like  those  of  the  decorated  kind, 
are  of  wood,  sometimes  thick,  sometimes  thin.  The  thick  boards 
were  made  heavy,  because  many  of  the  manuscripts  were  written  on 
vellum,  which  is  very  curly,  and  the  weight  of  the  covers  was  useful 
in  counteracting  this  defect.  The  thin  boards  were  very  carefully 
chosen,  and  must  have  been  well  seasoned,  as  they  are  very  rarely 
indeed  warped  at  all.  In  many  instances  stamps  of  the  monasteries 
at  which  they  were  made  are  impressed  on  these  boards,  and  this  is 
a  sign  of  the  careful  manner  in  which  even  the  smallest  details 
concerning  books  was  superintended.  Berthelet's  boards  are  always 
of  cardboard  or  its  equivalent,  and  although  wooden  boards  are  often 
found  at  a  subsequent  time  to  this,  they  may  as  a  rule  be  considered 
to  have  gone  out  of  universal  use  here  about  the  end  of  the  fifteenth 
century. 

The  reputed  oldest  specimen  of  all  the  English  bookbindings 
is  bound  in  red  leather,  possibly  deerskin;  it  is  known  as  "St. 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


19 


Cuthbert's  Gospels,"  and  was  found,  A.  D.  1105,  in  the  tomb  of  St. 
Cuthbert  when  it  was  opened.  St.  Cuthbert  died  A.  D.  687,  and 
the  book  is  supposed  to  have  been  buried  with  him.  It  contains  the 
Gospel  of  St.  John,  written  on  vellum,  and  is  now  treasured  at 
Stonyhurst  College.  The  volume  is  in  such  a  remarkable  state  of 
preservation,  both  outside  and  inside,  that  a  certain  amount  of  dis- 
credit attaches  to  the  legend  of  its  great  antiquity.  It  is  bound  in 
thin  boards  of  limewood,  covered  with  red  leather,  curiously  worked 
and  coloured.  The  upper  cover  bears  a  decorative  rectangular  panel, 
the  central  portion  of  which,  nearly  square,  has  a  symmetrical  foli- 
ated curve  of  double-S  form,  repousse,  and  showing  slight  traces 
of  colour;  above  and  below  this  are  two  long  panels  in  which  are 
drawn  free-hand  scrolls  of  Anglo-Saxon  character,  deeply  lined.  These 
scrolls  are  painted  blue  and  yellow.  The  under  side  is  simply  orna- 
mented with  fillets.  The  design  of  this  binding  is  unquestionably 
very  old,  and  may  fittingly  be  referred  to  about  the  date  of  St. 
Cuthbert's  death.  Mr.  E.  Gordon  Duff,  however,  inclines  to  the  view 
that  it  is  not  actually  the  original  binding,  but  is  a  copy  of  about  the 
twelfth  or  thirteenth  century.  Even  if  it  were  made  at  the  latest 
date  attributed  to  it,  it  is  still  the  earliest  existing  English  book 
bound  in  red  leather,  as  well  as  the  only  one  decorated  in  the  true 
style  of  Anglo-Saxon  art. 

Another  early  English  book  of  great  interest  is  a  Latin  Psalter 
of  the  eleventh  century,  in  its  original  binding  of  thick  oaken  boards 
covered  with  brown  leather.  On  each  side  is  a  sunk  panel,  and 
in  one  of  these  is  a  copper  gilt  figure  of  our  Lord  in  the  attitude  of 
the  crucifixion.  The  corners  and  clasp  are  of  thin  brass  stamped 
with  patterns,  and  are  most  likely  of  later  date  than  the  rest  of 
the  binding.  A  very  interesting  point  about  this  book  is,  that  it 
was  used  as  the  official  coronation  oath-book  by  all  the  English 


20 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


sovereigns  from  Henry  I.  to  Henry  VH.;  it  formerly  belonged  to 
the  Exchequer,  and  was  subsequently  the  property  of  the  Marquis 
of  Buckingham,  who  kept  it  in  his  beautiful  library  at  Stowe;  it  is 
now  in  the  British  Museum. 

With  the  exception  of  these  two  instances,  all  the  English  books 
bound  in  leather  before  the  time  of  Thomas  Berthelet  are  orna- 
mented, if  at  all,  with  blind-stamped  work  only.  In  the  cutting 
of  stamps  for  this  form  of  decoration,  as  well  as  in  the  designing  of 
them,  English  artists  in  the  twelfth  century  particularly  are  con- 
sidered to  have  been  superexcellent.  The  subject  has  been  most 
ably  and  lucidly  considered  by  Mr.  James  Weale,  lately  Art  Librarian 
at  the  South  Kensington  Museum.  He  finds  that  such  work  was 
produced  especially  at  Durham,  Winchester,  Oxford,  and  London, 
from  the  twelfth  to  the  fifteenth  centuries,  after  which  there  was 
such  a  marked  irruption  of  foreign  binders  and  foreign  stamps  that 
the  English  work  became  obscured,  and  on  its  recovery  was  of  an 
entirely  different  character.  But  it  is  now  generally  conceded  that 
these  early  English  blind-tooled  leather  bindings  are  indeed  the 
finest  of  the  kind  made  anywhere. 

The  Winchester  Domesday  Book  of  the  twelfth  century,  now 
belonging  to  the  Society  of  Antiquaries  of  London,  is  a  charming 
and  typical  specimen  of  this  work;  it  is  bound  in  dark  brown  goat- 
skin, and  ornamented  with  impressions  in  blind  from  beautifully  cut 
small  cameo  stamps.  The  main  scheme  of  the  decoration  is  two 
large  circles,  one  above  the  other,  enclosed  within  a  rectangular 
panel.  The  circles  as  well  as  the  lines  of  the  panel  are  curiously 
made  up  of  successive  impressions  of  small  stamps.  Those  used  in 
the  circles  are  cut  in  such  a  manner  that  they  can  be  used  either 
separately  or  in  combination.  Used  together,  of  course,  certain 
stamps  will  only  combine  properly  to  form  a  circle  of  a  particular 


>ET. 


^^nnerly  belongeu  ^ 
the  Marquis 

"^U^we;  it  is 


books 


•3 


,  ,    ,  «  work  was 

,^  ^"  London, 

h  there  was 
s  that 

PLATE  IV.  of  an 

ij-;(;K\i)  WKi  r-rKx  ox  ihk  kix.k.s.of  a         .\ik  of  six  i  kkn m  (  |.,\.  ^  t^8,t 

TL'Hv  riiAtTs.  I'.oi  xi)  IX         saiix  kok'  hkxkv  \  [n  1  the 


now 
ming 


•  u 
n 

^.iiier 
certain 
[Particular 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


21 


circumference,  as  they  are  designed  in  short  segments  of  circles, 
drop  shaped,  or  in  lozenge  shapes,  smaller  at  the  base  than  at  the 
top.  It  must  be  noted  that  the  use  of  stamps  cut  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  combine  easily  in  circular  forms  is  a  characteristic  of  early 
English  work.  This  circle,  differently  produced,  however,  will  pres- 
ently be  seen  again  in  Berthelet's  designs,  and  it  reappeared  also 
in  the  seventeenth  century  on  much  of  the  remarkable  work  done 
on  leather  as  well  as  on  velvet,  at  the  very  interesting  establish- 
ment founded  at  Little  Gidding  in  Huntingdonshire  by  Nicholas 
Ferrar.  Parts  of  circles  are  sometimes,  but  not  often,  found  on  the 
bindings  made  for  Jean  Grolier  during  the  first  half  of  the  sixteenth 
century,  but  it  is  very  seldom  that  the  circle  itself  occurs  as  an 
integral  part  of  the  design  on  bookbindings.  The  circle  as  originally 
used  in  the  artistic  ornamentation  of  sculptures,  goldsmiths'  work, 
and  the  arts  generally  was  probably  a  sun-sign.  I  fear  bookbind- 
ing is  not  old  enough  to  come  under  this  ancient  art  influence  very 
strongly ;  but  it  is  just  possible  that  the  artists  who  designed  the 
ornamentation  of  the  leather  covers  of  several  of  the  splendid 
bindings  made  in  England  in  Mediaeval  times,  based  largely  upon 
the  circle,  and  who  cut  their  stamps  so  as  easily  to  produce  circles, 
may  have  been  unconsciously  following  out  the  lines  of  thought 
inherited  by  them  from  artistic  ancestors  imbued  with  the  ancient 
traditions.  Crosses  as  well  as  circles  are  found  sometimes  on  early 
leather  bindings,  but  not  in  English  work,  and  with  these  two  ex- 
ceptions I  do  not  think  any  of  the  ancient  symbols  are  represented 
in  this  particular  line  of  art. 

On  the  introduction  of  printing  into  England  in  the  fifteenth 
century,  the  rich  Mediaeval  bindings  very  rapidly  became  things  of 
the  past.  The  gap  between  them  and  the  simple  blind-stamped 
leather  which  rapidly  superseded  them  was,  however,  filled  to  some 


22 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


extent  by  the  production  of  very  ornamental  bindings  in  velvet 
and  satin.  These  covers  are  mounted  with  bosses  and  clasps  of 
precious  metals  and  enamels,  or  embroidered  in  gold  and  orna- 
mented with  pearls.  Several  references  and  notes  concerning  such 
bindings  occur  in  contemporary  official  documents,  but  no  actual 
specimens  now  exist  earlier  than  the  time  of  Henry  YIL,  but  that 
king  has  left  us  several  splendid  examples. 

Until  Henry  VHI.  had  his  own  royal  binders,  it  is  likely  that 
all  the  early  printers  bound  only  their  own  work ;  but  naturally  a 
printer  and  binder  holding  an  appointment  as  royal  binder  would 
be  sometimes  expected  to  bind  other  miscellaneous  books,  and  in- 
stances of  this  are  not  only  found  in  Berthelet's  account,  given  below, 
but  amongst  the  books  bound  by  him  there  are  some  which  were 
printed  abroad  and  others  which  are  collections  of  tracts,  etc.,  all  of 
which  were  bound  for  King  Henry  VHI.  or  his  immediate  successors. 

The  royal  heraldry  at  the  time  Berth  elet  made  his  bindings 
was  simple  and  dignified;  first  and  fourth  were  the  three  fleurs-de- 
lys  of  France ;  second  and  third,  the  three  lions  of  England.  From 
William  the  Conqueror  until  Henry  H.,  the  royal  coat  of  England 
probably  consisted  of  two  lions  passant  guardant  in  pale.  Henry  H., 
however,  on  his  marriage  with  Eleanor,  daughter  of  William  V.,  Duke 
of  Aquitaine  and  Guienne,  incorporated  the  coat  of  that  potentate, 
a  single  leopard,  with  his  own,  but  as  he  probably  considered  the 
conjunction  of  this  animal  with  those  already  on  his  coat  might  not 
be  conducive  to  peace,  he  turned  the  leopard  into  a  similar  lion  and 
added  it  to  the  others,  and  from  that  time  the  coat  of  arms  of  England 
has  been  "gules,  three  lions  passant  guardant  in  pale,  or."  The  coat 
of  France,  "azure,  seme  de  fleurs-de-lys,  or,"  was  adopted  by  Edward 
HI.,  in  the  fourteenth  year  of  his  reign,  together  with  the  title  of 
King  of  France,  asserting  his  right  to  the  coat  and  the  title  by  virtue 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


23 


of  his  mother,  Isabel,  daughter  of  Philip  IV.  At  first  Edward  placed 
the  French  coat  in  the  second  and  third  places  of  his  shield,  but 
presently  gave  it  the  places  of  honour,  first  and  fourth,  in  consequence 
of  a  remonstrance  from  the  French  king.  Edward's  grandson,  Rich- 
ard II.,  married,  as  his  second  wife,  Isabel,  daughter  of  Charles  YI. 
of  France,  who  changed  his  coat,  "seme  de  fleurs-de-lys,"  to  one  hav- 
ing only  three  fleurs-de-lys.  Richard  altered  the  French  coat  on  his 
shield  in  accordance  with  this  change,  and  this  became  the  royal 
coat  of  arms  of  England  until  the  accession  of  J ames  I.  With  regard 
to  the  supporters  which  are  found  on  some  of  Berthelet's  bindings, 
they  are  only  the  dragon  and  the  greyhound.  The  dragon  is  the  red 
dragon  of  the  last  of  the  British  kings,  Cadwallader,  from  whom 
Henry  VII.  claimed  descent,  and  in  remembrance  of  whom  he  bore 
it  as  a  supporter,  as  did  all  our  Tudor  sovereigns.  This,  however,  is 
only  one  explanation,  as  it  appears  that  a  very  similar  badge  was 
previously  borne  by  Henry  III.,  Edward  I.,  and  Edward  III.  The 
greyhound  was  also  one  of  Henry  VII. 's  supporters,  and  is  found  on 
several  of  his  bindings;  it  was  used  by  Henry  VIII.  until  about  1528, 
when  he  substituted  a  lion  and  changed  the  sides.  This  greyhound 
was  borne  by  Henry  VII.  by  a  double  right,  partly  by  reason  of  his 
own  descent  from  the  Earls  of  Somerset,  whose  badge  it  was,  and 
also  by  right  of  his  wife  through  the  Nevilles. 

The  badges  found  on  Berthelet's  bindings  are  the  portcullis,  used 
by  all  the  Tudors  in  remembrance  of  the  castle  of  the  Beauforts  in 
Anjou,  where  Henry  VII. 's  maternal  grandfather  was  born;  the 
double  rose,  red  and  white,  used  first  by  the  Lancastrian  Henry  VII. 
on  his  marriage  with  Elizabeth  of  York,  as  a  symbol  of  the  union 
of  the  two  rival  houses;  the  fleur-de-lys,  doubtless  taken  as  one  of 
the  bearings  from  the  French  coat  of  arms;  and  the  daisy,  borne  in 
remembrance  of  Margaret  Beaufort,  mother  of  Henry  YII.    All  these 


24 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


are  found  on  bindings  made  by  Bertlielet,  sometimes  singly  and  some- 
times in  combination  on  one  binding. 

Henry  VH.  was  the  first  English  king  who  attempted  to  form 
a  library  of  his  own,  and  besides  manuscripts,  he  possessed  a  very 
fine  collection  of  splendid  volumes  printed  by  Antoine  Verard  at 
Paris.  These  books  are  now  part  of  the  old  Royal  Library  in  the 
British  Museum,  and  since  they  have  been  there  they  have  all  been 
rebound  in  velvet,  which  may  probably  be  taken  as  some  sign  that 
they  were  originally  bound  in  that  material ;  and  this  is  likely  enough, 
as  all  the  bindings  still  existing  that  belonged  to  this  king  are  bound 
in  it.  Some  of  these  beautiful  bindings  are  now  in  the  library  at 
Westminster  Abbey,  but  the  finest  example  of  any  of  them  is  in  the 
British  Museum. 

During  the  reign  of  Henry  Yin.  some  large  heraldic  panel 
stamps  bearing  the  royal  coat  of  arms  were  made  here,  probably  by 
Dutch  workmen,  as  they  have  characteristics  of  foreign  workman- 
ship. These  stamps  are  often  considered  royal,  but  it  is  doubtful 
whether  they  ever  were  so.  Two  of  them  bear  the  royal  coat  of 
arms  as  used  by  Henry  VH.  and  Henry  YHI.  One  shows  the  royal 
coat,  crowned,  with  supporters,  stars,  and  a  few  flowers,  and  at  the 
top  the  sun  in  glory  and  a  half-moon  with  a  face  in  profile,  the  arms 
of  the  City  of  London,  and  the  cross  of  St.  George;  the  other,  a 
handsomer  design,  has  likewise  the  royal  coat  of  arms,  crowned,  with 
supporters,  but  at  the  top  there  are  two  angels  carrying  scrolls,  and 
having  between  them  a  large  double  rose,  while  below  are  two  port- 
cullises, depending  from  the  lower  edge  of  the  shield  by  chains.  Two 
other  panel  stamps  belonging  to  this  series  show  the  coats  of  arms  of 
Queen  Katharine  of  Aragon  and  Queen  Anne  Boleyn,  and  these  have 
large  shields,  crowned,  and  supported  by  angels,  with  a  ground  on 
which  are  several  flower  sprays. 


TITELET. 

iliielet,  soiiietimes  smgly  and  so 
binding. 

iiemy  V  ix  English  iiu  u  d  to  iuiin 

brary      '  '  'a  very 

tine  c»  "  at 


III.  some  hr<x^^  hei^Wv-  panel 
^vi     'f^pms  were  ^  "^^  l^v 


s  the  royal 
at  the 

le  arms 
or,  a 

e  royal  (  ^ 
e  are  two  ajigele 
.^e  double  ro 
lower  eO. 

rig  to 

<\  and  ^ 

a  on 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


25 


These  stamps  are  always  accompanied  by  another,  which  shows 
peculiar  characteristics  tending  to  prove  that  none  of  them  are 
royal.  This  stamp  always  bears  upon  it  some  initial  or  device  that 
belonged  to  a  printer  of  the  time.  It  consists  of  a  large  double  rose 
supported  by  two  angels,  each  bearing  a  scroll,  on  which,  read  to- 
gether, is  the  legend,  Hec  rosa  virtutis  de  celo  missa  sereno  eternu 
florens  regia  sceptra  feret^  In  the  two  upper  corners  are  a  sun  in 
glory  and  a  half-moon  with  face  in  profile,  the  shield  of  the  City  of 
London,  the  cross  of  St.  George,  and  several  stars.  Below  are  a 
few  scattered  flower  sprays  and  the  initials  or  device  of  a  printer. 
The  commonest  initials  occurring  on  these  panels  are  probably  H.  J., 
most  likely  Henry  Jacobi;  J.  R.,  very  likely  John  Reynes;  G.  G., 
possibly  Garret  Godfrey;  R.  L.,  perhaps  Richard  Lant;  and  many 
others  of  less  note. 

Judging  from  the  use  of  the  greyhound  as  one  of  the  royal 
supporters,  none  of  these  stamps  were  cut  after  1528,  and  Mr. 
Weale  considers  they  may  have  been  first  used  as  early  as  1485.  I 
described  and  figured  all  of  them  in  "The  Queen"  of  June  20, 1891. 

Although  books  bearing  these  designs  are  now  generally  con- 
sidered non-royal,  they  are  nevertheless  frequently  put  forward  as 
having  belonged  to  Henry  VII.  and  his  successors,  and  in  many 
places  and  catalogues  they  will  be  found  so  described.  They  are 
fine  and  well-cut  stamps,  and  are  impressed  sometimes  on  sheep, 
but  usually  on  fine  calf  leather;  and  no  doubt  if  it  were  not  for  the 
existence  upon  them  of  trade-marks,  private  monograms,  and  city 
emblems,  there  would  be  much  in  favour  of  such  a  supposition. 
It  may  be  that  they  were  allowed  to  be  used  by  members  of  the 
Stationers  Company,  at  that  time  of  much  importance. 

Immediately  after  the  general  discontinuance  of  large  panel 
stamps  with  royal  heraldic  designs,  Thomas  Berthelet  became  royal 


26 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


printer  and  binder  to  Henry  VHL,  and  the  earliest  of  his  large 
stamps  bears  some  resemblance  to  the  stamp  just  described  as  hav- 
ing two  portcullises  dependent  from  the  lower  part  of  the  shield.  It 
is  possible  that  Berthelet  took  his  design  from  this  stamp.  But 
whatever  Berthelet' s  early  bindings  may  have  been  like,  the  dis- 
tinguishing characteristic  of  his  work  is  the  gold-tooling,  properly 
so  called,  which  he  was,  so  far  as  is  yet  known,  the  first  English- 
man to  use.  A  large  portion  of  the  printing  he  did  was  in  the  form 
of  proclamations,  single  sheets,  and  other  official  matters,  which 
were  never  bound;  but  as  time  went  on,  and  the  king,  with  his 
Tudor  love  of  magnificence,  perhaps  to  some  extent  regretting  his 
own  destruction  of  the  beautiful  and  valuable  Mediasval  bindings, 
feeling  that  something  more  ornamental  than  the  sombre  panel 
stamps  was  wanted,  Berthelet,  being  already  royal  printer,  was  no 
doubt  further  commissioned  to  make  decorative  royal  bindings.  This 
he  did  on  both  velvet  and  satin,  materials  already  royal  favourites, 
as  well  as  using  his  new  art  of  leather  gilding  in  as  decorative  a 
manner  as  possible. 


CHAPTER  II. 

DOCUMENTARY  EVIDENCE  CONCERNING  BERTHELET  AND 

HIS  WORK. 


CHAPTER  II. 


DOCUMENTARY  EVIDENCE  CONCERNING  BERTHELET  AND 

HIS  WORK. 

It  is  evident  that  in  the  early  part  of  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII. 
there  was  a  large  importation  of  foreign-bound  books,  much  to  the 
detriment  of  native  workmen.  So  great  was  the  abuse  caused 
by  this  importation,  that  it  was  found  advisable  to  issue  various 
official  papers  on  the  subject. 

The  earliest  English  document  concerning  printed  books  is  a  \ 
statute  made  in  the  first  year  of  King  Richard  III.,  by  virtue  of  which 
foreigners  were  allowed  to  bring  over  their  books  and  sell  them 
without  let  or  hindrance.  The  result  of  this  permission  was,  how- 
ever, not  quite  what  was  intended,  as  very  shortly  numbers  of  Eng- 
lishmen became  expert  in  the  craft  of  printing  "in  all  poyntes,"  as 
well  as  skilled  in  the  "mysterye  of  byndynge";  and  these  found 
themselves  so  outnumbered  by  aliens  and  hampered  by  the  foreign 
competition,  that  in  1533  an  act  was  passed  for  their  relief,  the  most 
important  clause  in  which  was  one  imposing  a  forfeit  of  six  shillings 
and  eight  pence  on  every  printed  book  brought  from  abroad  ready 
bound  in  boards,  leather,  or  parchment. 

The  act  is  as  follows :  — 

"Anno  XXV.,  Henrici  VIII.  (1533).  Actis  made  in  the  session 
of  this  present  Parliament,  cap.  XV.  London,  printed  by  Thomas 
Berthelet. 

"Where  as  by  the  prouision  of  a  statute  made  in  thefyrste  yere 
of  the  reygne  of  Kynge  Rycharde  the  thyrde,  it  was  prouided  in  the 

29 


30 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


same  acte,  that  all  straungers  repayrynge  in  to  this  realme,  myghte 
laufully  bringe  in  to  the  sayd  realme  printed  and  written  bokes  to 
selle  at  theyr  libertie  and  pleasure.  By  force  of  whiche  prouision 
there  hath  comen  in  to  this  realme  sithen  the  makynge  of  the  same, 
a  marueylous  nombre  of  printed  bookes  and  daylye  dothe.  And  the 
cause  of  the  makynge  of  the  same  prouysion  semethe  to  be,  for  that 
there  were  but  fewe  bokes  and  fewe  printers  with  in  this  realme  atte 
that  tyme,  whyche  coulde  welle  exercise  and  occupie  the  sayd  science 
and  crafte  of  pryntynge:  Never  the  lesse,  sythen  the  makynge  of 
the  sayde  prouisyon,  manye  of  this  realme,  beynge  the  kynges  natu- 
ralle  subjectes,  haue  gyuen  them  soo  delygentelye  to  lerne  and  exer- 
cyse  the  sayd  crafte  of  printynge,  that  at  this  daye  there  be  within 
this  realme  a  greate  nombre  counnynge  and  experte  in  the  sayd 
science  or  crafte  of  pryntynge,  as  able  to  exercyse  the  sayde  crafte 
in  all  poyntes,  as  anye  straunger  in  anye  other  realme  or  contray. 
And  further  more  where  there  be  a  greate  numbre  of  the  kynges 
subiectes  within  this  realme,  whiche  lyue  by  the  crafte  and  mysterye 
of  byndynge  of  books,  and  that  there  be  a  greate  multitude  welle 
experte  in  the  same :  yet  all  this  not  withstandynge  there  are  dyuers 
persons,  that  bringe  from  beyonde  the  se  greate  plentie  of  printed 
bookes,  not  onelye  in  the  latyne  tonge,  but  also  in  our  maternall 
englishe  tonge  some  bounde  in  bordes,  some  in  lether,  and  some  in 
parchment,  and  them  selle  by  retayle,  wherby  many  of  the  kynges 
subiectes,  beinge  bynders  of  bokes,  and  hauing  none  other  facultie 
wherewith  to  gette  theyr  lyuinge,  be  destitute  of  worke,  and  lyke  to 
be  vndone :  except  some  reformation  herin  be  had.  Be  it  therefore 
enacted  by  the  kynge  oure  soverayne  lorde,  the  lordes  spiritual  and 
temporal,  and  the  commons  in  this  present  parlyament  assembled, 
and  by  auctoritie  of  the  same,  that  the  sayde  Prouiso,  made  the  fyrst 
yere  of  the  sayd  King  Richarde  the  thirde  from  the  feaste  of  the 


Airs  repay 
.he  sayd  realnte 
and  p]' 


them  soo  u 
sayd  crafte  of  pn?itynge,  that 
f-ealme  a  greate  nomhr^jcpppn^^j 
or  craft^^  of       '       "  'iS  al  l 


n  to  this  realme,  myghte 
d  and  written  bokes  to 
ce  of  whiche  prouision 
0  of  the  same, 
And  the 
'  e,  for  that 
atte 

:  e  of 
s  iiatu- 
><j  iLiUt;  andexer- 
us  daye  there  be  within 
id  experte  in  the  sayd 
royse  the  sayde  crafte 


avi4-'^,^y,^ipi,>j(;  j^U'  a corvoi'  riii;  wojsks  of  si-.  t  niivsot^roM.  phi\  im;i> 

A'l'  iVasLK  I\  MADF.  FOlt  IIFXRY  VlW.  ''''  *■"*  " 


*  SiH-  |ia^''  7 1 . 


s  of  h 
lyuingt 
me  reforit 
re  sov 


>ae  welle 
are  dyuers 
lentie  of  printed 
ge,  but        in  our  maternall 
'8,  some  in  U^hor.  and  some  in 
te,  wherby  ]; 
:  hauing 

ate  of  •  to 

be  had.  tore 
ial  and 
't  assembled, 
lade  the  fyrst 
I  the  feaste  of  the 


hp'  kynges 
iltie 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


31 


natiuitie  of  our  lorde  god  next  commynge  shalbe  voyde  and  of  none 
effecte.  And  further  be  it  enacted  by  the  auctorite  afore  sayde,  that 
no  person  or  persons,  resiant  or  inhabitant  within  this  realme  after 
the  sayd  feast  of  Christmas  next  comyng  shal  bie  to  sel  ageyne  any 
printed  bokes  brought  from  any  parties  out  of  the  kynges  obeysance, 
redye  bouden  in  bordes,  lether,  or  parchement,  uppon  peyne  to  lose 
and  forfayte  for  everye  boke  bounde  oute  of  the  sayde  kynges  obey- 
sance, and  brought  into  this  realme,  and  bought  by  any  person  or 
persons  within  the  same  to  sell  agayne,  contrarie  to  this  act,  syxe 
shyllynge  eyghte  pence. 

"And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  auctorite  afore-sayde,  that  no 
persone  or  persones  inhabytant  or  resiante  within  this  realme,  after 
the  saide  feast  of  Christmas,  shall  bye  within  this  realmes,  of  any 
stranger,  borne  oute  of  the  kynges  obedience  other  then  of  denizens, 
any  manner  of  printed  bokes,  brought  from  any  the  parties  beyond 
the  see,  except  onely  by  engrose  and  not  by  retayle :  upon  peine  of 
forfaiture  of  Vis  Vllld  for  every  boke  so  bought  by  retayle,  contrarie 
to  the  fourme  and  effect  of  this  estatute,  the  said  forfaytures,  to  be 
always  leuied  of  the  byers  of  any  suche  bookes,  contrarie  to  this  act ; 
etc.    Provided  alwaye,  etc." 

This  act,  stringent  though  it  seems,  was  not  of  much  effect,  as 
presently  appears  by  a  study  of  the  transcripts  of  the  Stationers 
Company,  most  usefully  reprinted  by  Mr.  Edward  Arber,  amongst 
which  will  be  found  several  rules  and  ordinations  concerning  the 
•  foreign  bookbinders.  These  men,  undoubtedly  skilful  in  their  trade, 
ultimately  settled  here  in  considerable  numbers,  and  not  only 
became  naturalized  Englishmen,  but  in  all  probability  eventually 
benefited  our  styles  and  methods  by  the  introduction  of  new  ideas 
and  a  high  standard  of  technical  workmanship.  A  second  great  irrup- 
tion of  foreign  workiiien,  binders  among  them,  took  place  in  England 


32 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


in  1685,  on  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes.  On  this  occasion, 
also,  it  is  probable  that  our  native  styles  and  methods  ultimately 
benefited  considerably  by  the  importation  of  new  blood. 

Nothing  is  known  about  Thomas  Berthelet  until  he  became 
connected  with  the  state  printing  under  Henry  VHI.  He  succeeded 
Richard  Pynson  as  royal  printer  and  binder  in  1530,  and  received 
his  appointment  to  this  position  by  means  of  a  royal  patent.  This 
patent  is  the  earliest  of  the  kind  known,  for  although  Pjnison  called 
himself  "Printer  unto  the  King's  noble  grace,"  his  official  authority 
for  doing  so  is  not  forthcoming. 

Berthelet's  is,  however,  extant,  and  reads  as  follows: — 

"Rex  omnibus  ad  quos  praesentes,  ac,  salutem.  Sciatis  quod 
nos  de  gratia  nostra  speciali,  ac  ex  certa  scientia,  &  mero  motu 
nostris  dedimus  &  concessimus,  ac  per  praesentes  damns  et  consedi- 
mus  dilecto  servienti  nostro  Thomae  Barthelet  impressori  nostro 
quandam  annuitatem,  sive  quendam  annualem  redditum  quatuor 
librarum  sterlingorum,  habendum  &  annuatim  percipiendum  proedic- 
tam  annuitatem  sive  annualem  redditum  quatuor  librarum  eidem 
Thomae  Barthelet,  a  festo  Paschae,  anno  regni  nostro  vicesimo  primo, 
durante  vita  sua  de  thesauri  nostro  ad  receptam  scaccarii  nostri  per 
manus  thesaurarum  &  camerarii  nostrorum  ibidem  pro  tempore 
existendo  ad  festa  sancti  Michaelis  archangeli  &  Paschae  per  equales 
portiones  &c.,  quod  expressamentio  &c.  In  cujus,  &c.  testimonium 
rei  apud  Westmonasteriensem,  vicesimo  secundo  die  Februarii,  anno 
regni  Henrici  VIII.,  vicesimo  primo.    Per  breve  privato  sigillo." 

It  will  be  seen  that  by  virtue  of  this  document  Berthelet 
enjoyed  a  life  income  of  four  pounds  sterling  annually,  the  same 
sum  that  had  been  given  to  Richard  Pynson  in  September,  1515. 
There  is  also  a  note  to  this  effect  among  the  Patent  Rolls.  (21  Hen. 
YIIL,  Pt.  II.  m.  17,  dated  York  Place  13th  Feby  21  Hen.  VIII.) 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


33 


Not  only  was  he  thus  marked  for  the  king's  favour,  but  he 
also  enjoyed  what  in  those  days  was  considered  a  high  honour; 
he  was  granted  a  coat  of  arms  by  Glarenceulx,  king  of  arms,  on 
September  1,  1549.  This  grant  exists  in  the  College  of  Arms  in 
London,  and  the  arms  are  thus  described :  — 

"The  armes  and  creste  of  Thomas  Bertheletof  London,  esquyer, 
gentillman;  he  bereth  asure  on  a  cheveron  flore  contre  flore  argent, 
betwene  three  doves  of  the  same,  thre  trefiles  vert,  per  chrest.  upon 
his  helm,  out  of  a  crounall  silver  two  serpents  endorsed  asure 
ventred  gold  open  mouthed,  langued  and  eyed  geules,  there  tailes 
comyng  up  in  saulre  under  thire  throtes,  the  endes  of  the  tailes 
entering  into  their  eres,  langued  and  armed  geules  manteled  geules, 
doubled  silver,  as  more  plainly  apperith  depicted  in  this  margent ; 
graunted  and  given  by  me  Thomas  Hawley  alias  Glarenceulx,  Kyng 
of  armes,  the  first  day  of  September  in  the  thirde  yere  of  the  reygne 
of  our  soverange  lorde  Kynge  Edward  the  VI  etc." 

Pynson  used  heraldic  emblems  with  the  helmet  of  an  esquire 
on  some  of  his  bindings;  but  he  appears  to  have  assumed  the  dig- 
nity without  ofiicial  warrant. 

Berthelet's  continued  presence  in  England  was  also  considered 
of  sufficient  importance  to  justify  a  special  exemption  in  his  favour 
from  sei'ving  the  king  abroad  in  his  wars  in  France.  (Patent  EoU. 
36  Hen.  VHL,  Pt.  H.) 

In  the  state  papers  preserved  in  the  Record  Office  in  London 
are  several  notices  referring  to  the  official  printing  work  done  by 
Thomas  Berthelet.  These  testify  to  the  importance  and  confidential 
nature  of  the  work  intrusted  to  him,  and  show  how  he  was  sometimes, 
on  particularly  urgent  or  secret  occasions,  ordered  to  set  up  the  tj^e 
himself,  and  also  was  obliged  to  take  an  oath  of  secrecy.  Misprints 
were  evidently  a  thorn  in  his  side,  more  than  one  entry  referring  to 


34 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


such  difficulties,  of  which  doubtless  numbers  escaped  official  notice. 
From  these  entries  I  have  chosen  a  few  for  quotation. 

Treasurer  of  the  Chamber's  Accounts. 

Oct  22nd  1530.  To  Thos  Bartlet  (Berthelet)  for  printing  1600 
papers  and  books  of  proclamation  for  ordering  and  punishing  sun- 
dry beggars  and  vacabundes,  and  dampnyng  of  books  containing 
certain  errors,  at  Id  per  leaf.    £8  6s  8d. 

(Trevelyan  Papers.  Record  Office.  Letters  and  Papers  Hen. 
Sth  Vol.  5.  p.  322.) 

Richard  Croke  to  Cromwell  17tii  Septr.  1532. 

After  I  left,  Bartelot,  the  printer,  told  me  that  Goodrycke 
requested  him  to  advertise  the  King  of  certain  errors  in  "The  Glasse 
off  Truthe,"  which  Bartelot  refused,  saying  he  had  moved  the  King 
in  such  matters  beforetime,  and  his  Grace  was  not  content  with  it. 
Though  this  was  told  Croke  secretly,  thinks  it  his  duty  to  make  it 
known  to  Cromwell,  and  that  he  should  get  out  by  policy  from 
Goodricke  what  errors  he  notes.  Thinks  that  Bartelot  will  speak  of 
it  to  others. 

(Letters  and  Papers  Hen.  8th  Vol.  5.  No.  1320.  p.  572.) 

Cromwell  to  Sir  Thomas  Audeley,  Lord  Chancellor,  llth  Novr- 
1534. 

It  is  necessary  to  have  some  copies  of  the  proclamation  printed 
to  night,  that  they  may  be  sent  to  sundry  parts  with  the  books  of 
answer.  Desires  him  to  send  a  true  copy  by  the  bearer.  Will  then 
send  for  Bartelet  the  printer,  swear  him  and  cause  him  to  have  them 
printed  to-night.    The  Rolls,  11  Nov. 

Asks  him  to  have  the  proclamations  written  and  sealed,  and 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


35 


bring  them  to-morrow  at  10  o'clock.  The  duke  of  Norfolk  and  he 
will  tarry  dinner  till  he  comes. 

Below  is  Audeley's  answer. 

Will  have  20  proclamations  written  as  Cromwell  wishes.  Has 
commanded  Crooke  to  deliver  one  true  original  to  Bartelott  with 
orders  to  set  the  print  himself  to-night,  and  make  speed.  Will  be 
with  Cromwell  to-morrow  at  the  hour  appointed. 

(Letters  and  Papers  Hen.  8th  Vol.  7.  p.  535.  No.  1415.) 

The  most  important  as  well  as  the  most  interesting  document 
concerning  Berthelet  is  a  long  bill  of  his,  giving  details  of  books 
supplied  by  him  to  King  Henry  VIII.,  between  the  dates  1541-1543. 
This  bill  is  written  on  twelve  leaves  of  paper,  and  with  it  a  warrant 
on  vellum,  signed  by  the  king,  ordering  the  payment  to  be  made. 
Berthelet' s  autograph  receipt  is  also  appended.  This  document  was 
purchased  by  the  British  Museum  in  1870,  and  although  it  does  not 
seem  that  any  of  the  items  mentioned  in  it  can  positively  be  identi- 
fied, there  are  many  instances  in  which  it  is  likely  enough  that  in 
the  same  museum  are  some  of  the  actual  books  referred  to.  (Add. 
MS.  28.  196.) 

Several  of  the  entries  in  this  bill  are  of  great  interest.  We  find 
that  many  of  the  bindings  were  bound  back  to  back;  none  now 
remain  that  were  made  at  so  early  a  date,  but  several  instances  of 
this  curious  method  of  binding  that  were  made  during  the  seven- 
teenth century,  bound  both  in  leather  and  in  satin,  still  exist. 

White  leather  "gorgiously  gilted  on  the  leather"  is  mentioned 
more  than  once,  and  velvet,  purple,  and  black  were  occasionally 
used,  but  the  style  of  the  decoration  of  it  is  left  entirely  to  the 
imagination. 


36 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


Again,  "Crymosyn  satin"  only  is  mentioned,  without  any  word 
of  embroidery  or  other  ornamentation,  while  leather,  probably  brown 
calf,  is  here  and  there  described  as  being  "gorgiously  gilte,"  and 
also  "bounde  after  the  Italian"  or  "Yenecian  fascion." 

The  prices  in  this  bill  should  be  multiplied  by  about  twelve  to 
bring  them  into  line  with  our  present  currency. 

The  bill  is  worded  as  follows:  — 


We  wolle  and  commaunde  you  that  of  suche  our  Treausour  as  in 
your  handes  remayneth  ye  doe  ymedyatly  upon  the  sighte  herof  pay 
or  doe  to  be  paide  unto  our  trustie  servaunte  Thomas  Berthelett  our 
prynter  the  somme  of  one  hundred  seventene  pounds  sixepence  and 
one  halfepeny  sterlyng.  The  whiche  is  due  and  owyng  by  us  unto 
hym  for  certeyne  parcelles  delyvered  by  the  seid  Thomas  unto  us 
and  other  at  our  commandement  as  in  this  booke,  whereunto  this  our 
present  warraunte  is  annexed  particularly  dothe  appere.  And  these 
our  lettres  signed  with  our  hande  shalbe  unto  you  a  suffycient  war- 
raunte and  discharge  for  the  same.  Yoven  under  our  Signemanuell, 
at  our  Manour  of  Wodstooke,  the  xxiiijti  of  September,  the  xxxv 
yere  of  our  reigne. 

To  our  right  trustie  and  righte  welbeloved  Sr.  Edward  Northe, 
Knyghte,  treausourer  of  thaugmentaciouns  of  the  Revenues  of  our 
Crowne. 


without  any  .vn-d 
TTobably  brow  n 
gilte,"  and 

t  welve  to 

currency. 


ni.TK  l.KATllKR  1UN1.1N(;  OF  A  MS.  KNTITLKD   ■  1.  \  S(  IKNi  h  DK 

iie  bighte  herof  pay 
;  homas  Bertlielett  our 
uc  pounds  sixeixjnce  and 
due  and  owyng  by  us  unto 
'  aeid  Thomas  unto  us 
^  "  whereunto  this  our 
,c  appere.    And  these 
iLo  you  a  suffycient  war- 
«  under  oi  i '    "  niemanuell, 
■  f  ^otv  the  XXXV 


■v^   V         vard  Northe, 
venues  of  our 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


37 


Receyved  of  sir  Edward  North,  Knight,  treasourer  of  the  Aug- 
mentations, the  sayd  summe  of  one  hundred  seventene  poundes  vj. 
d.  oh.  according  to  the  tenour  of  this  warrant,  the  29  day  September, 
ao  regni  regis  Henrici  viij,  xxxv. 

Anno  Domini  1541,  et  anno  regni  serenissimi  et  invictissimi 
Regis  Henrici  Octavi,  Dei  gratia  Anglie  Francie  et  Hibernie  Regis, 
fidei  Defensoris,  et  in  terra  Ecclesie  Anglicane  et  Hibernice  Supremi 
Capitis,  tricesimo  tercio. 

In  primis,  delyvered  to  my  Lorde  Chaumcellour,  the  ixth  day 
of  December,  xxtj  Proclamacons,  made  for  the  enlargyng  of  Hatfeld 
Chace,  printed  in  fyne  velyme,  at  vjd  the  pece.    Summa,  10s. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  xxx  day  of  December, 
a  Newe  Testament  in  englisshe  and  latyn,  of  the  largest  volume, 
price  3s. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  vj  day  of  Jan- 
uary, a  Psalter  in  englisshe  and  latj^e,  covered  with  crimoysyn 
satyne,  2  s. 

Item  delyvered  the  same  tyme,  a  Psalter,  the  Proverbes  of 
Salomon,  and  other  smalle  bookes  bounde  together,  price  16d. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hygnes,  for  a  little  Psalter,  takyng 
out  of  one  booke  and  settyng  in  an  other  in  the  same  place,  and  for 
gorgious  byndyng  of  the  same  booke,  xijd  and  to  the  Goldesmythe, 
for  taking  of  the  claspes  and  corner,  and  for  settyng  on  the  same 
ageyne  xvjd  Summa  2s.  4d. 


38 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


Item  delyvered  unto  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  xv  day  of  Janu- 
ary, a  New  Testament  in  latyne,  and  a  Psalter  englisshe  and  latyne, 
bounde  backe  to  backe,  in  white  leather,  gorgiously  gilted  on  the 
leather;  the  bookescame  to  ijS.  the  byndyng  and  arabaske  drawyng 
in  golde  on  the  transfile,  iiijs  Summa  6s. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  xviij  day  of  January, 
a  booke  called  Enarraciones  Evangeliorum  Dominicalium,  bounde  in 
crymosyn  satyne;  the  price  3s.  4d. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hig(h)nes,  the  xxiij  day  of  Janu- 
ary, a  booke  of  the  Psalter  in  englisshe  and  latyne,  the  price  viijd ; 
and  a  booke  entiteled  Enarraciones  Evangeliorum  Dominicalium,  the 
price  xijd ;  and  for  the  gorgious  byndyng  of  them,  backe  to  backe, 
iijs  iiijd  Summa  5s. 

Item  delyvered  to  Maister  Hynwisshe,  to  the  Kinges  use,  a  paper 
booke  of  vj  queres  royall,  gorgiously  bounde  in  leather  7s.  6d. 

Item  delyvered  to  my  Lorde  Chauncellour,  the  xxv  day  of  Janu- 
ary vj?  Proclamacions  concernyng  the  Kinges  stile;  eche  of  them 
conteynyng  one  leafe  of  bastarde  paper,  at  jd  the  pece.    Summa  50? 

Item  delyvered  to  my  Lorde  Chauncellour,  the  iiij  day  of  Feb- 
ruary, vj?  Proclamacions  concernyng  eatyng  of  whyte  meates;  eche 
of  them  conteyning  one  hole  leafe  of  Jene  paper,  at  ob.  the  pece,  25?  - 

Item  delyvered  the  xxvth  day  of  February,  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes, 
Amhrosius  super  epistolas  sancti  Pauli  xx4 

Item  one  Psalter  in  englisshe,  in  viijo  xxd. 

Item  ij  litle  Psalters,  xvjd  Summa  4s.  8d. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  laste  day  of  Feb- 
ruary, xij  bookes  intitled  Summaria  (in)  Evangelia  et  Epistolas  ut 
leguntur,  ij  bounde  in  paper  hordes  at  viijd  the  pece,  and  x  in  for- 
relles,  at  vjd  the  pece,  6s.  4d. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  iij  day  of  Marche, 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


39 


one  Smnmaria  in  Evangelia  et  Epistolas,  gorgiously  bounde,  and  gilte 
on  the  leather,  price  2s. 

Item  delyvered  the  same  day,  ij  bookes,  intitled  Conciliaciones 
locorum  AUhemeri,  price  4s. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  same  day,  one  Opus 
Zmaragdi,  price  4s.  8d. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  vth  day  of  Marche, 
one  Novum  Testarmntum,  bounde  with  a  Summaria,  price  2s. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  ix  day  of  Marche, 
one  Novum  Testamentum,  in  latyne,  bounde  with  a  Summaria  super 
Epistolas  et  Evangelia,  2s. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  xijt  day  of  Marche, 
one  Authoritas  allegahiles  sacre  scripture,  with  one  Summaria  in 
Evangelia  et  Epistolas,  gorgiously  bounde  in  whyte,  and  gilte  on  the 
lether,  iiij  Item,  Sedulius  in  Paulum  atiijs.  Item,  Petrus  Lumberdus 
in  Epistolas  sancti  Pauli,  at  iijs  iiijd.  Item,  Homelie  ven.  Bede  in 
Epistolas  Dominicalis,  at  xvj<i.  Item,  Questiones  Hugonis  super 
Epistolas  sancti  Pauli,  ij?  Summa  13s.  8d. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  Maiestie,  the  xv  day  of  Marche, 
Thomas  de  Aquino,  in  Evangelia  Dominicalia,  et  Homelie  Bede,  una 
ligati  cum  alijs;  price  2s  8d. 

Item,  Psalterium  in  latyne,  and  a  Psalter  in  englisshe,  una  legati; 
price  2s.  8d. 

Item,  Arnobius  super  psalmos,  2s. 

Item,  Hay  mo  super  psalmos,  2  s. 

Item,  Jo,  de  Turre-cremata  super  Evangelia,  2s  8d. 

Item,  Omelia  Haymonis  super  Evangelia,  16d. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  xvj  day  of  Marche, 
one  Arnobius  super  Psalterium,  bounde  with  other  bookes,  2s. 

Item,  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  xviij  day  of  Marche, 


40  THOMAS  BERTHELET. 

one  Arnohius  super  Psalterium,  and  one  Psalter  in  englisshe,  price 
2s.  Sd. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  xix  day  of  Marche, 
Homilie  Bede  hyemales^  bounde  with  his  Homilijs  on  the  Pistles,  price 
2s.  8d. 

Item,  Homilie  Bede  aestivales,  bound  alone,  price  20d. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  xxiij  day  of  Marche, 
Homelie  Bede  pars  estivalis,  bounde  with  his  Homilies  on  the  Epistoles, 
price  2s.  8d. 

Item  the  same  day,  delyvered  to  his  grace,  Enarraciones  sancti 
Thome  de  Aquino  super  Evangelia,  bounde  with  Homilijs  Bede  super 
Epistolas,  the  price  2s.  8d. 

Anno  Domini  1542. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  xxvti  day  of  Marche, 
one  Psalter  in  latyne  of  Colines  printe,  and  one  in  englisshe,  bounde 
together;  the  price  ijs  viiid.  Item,  Arnohius  super  Psalterium,  and  a 
Psalter  in  englisshe,  bound  together,  price  ijs  viijd.  Item,  San(c)tus 
Thomas  de  Aquino  super  Mathuem,  the  price  ijs .    Summa  6s  8d 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  xxvij  day  of  Marche, 
one  Cathena  aurea  divi  Thome  de  Aquino  in  Evangelia  Dominicalia^ 
price  ij  iiijd 

Item  the  same  day  delyvered  to  his  hyghnes,  one  Postilla 
Guilielmi  Par(is)iensis,  price  ij?  Summa  5s.  4d. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  xxviij  dau  of  Marche, 
one  Enarraciones  sancti  Thome  de  Aquino  in  Evangelia  Bominicalia, 
with  Homilijs  ven.  Bede  in  Epistolas  ut  per  totum  annum  leguntur  in 
templis,  price  ijs  viijd.  Item,  Psalterium  in  latine,  with  Arnohius 
super  Psalmos;  the  price  ijs  viijd.  Item,  Faher  super  Epistolas 
Catholicas  the  price  xxd.    Item,  Dydimus  Alexandrianus,  with  Beda 


THOMAS  BEETHELET. 


41 


upon  the  Epistolas  CathoUcas,  price  ijs.  Item,  one  Catanus  super 
Evangelia,  price  iijs  iiijd    Summa  12s. 

Item  delyered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  xxx  day  of  Marche, 
one  Cathena  Aurea  divi  Thome  Super  Evangelia  in  duohos^  price  5s. 

Item  delyvered  the  same  day  to  his  grace,  one  Dionysius  Carth.; 
and  a  Faher  Stampe  super  Epistolas  Catholicas,  price  3s. 

Item  delyvered  the  same  day,  one  Dydimus  Alexandrinus,  and 
Beda  super  Epistolas  Catholicas,  price  2s. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  ij  day  of  Aprill, 
one  Thomas  de  Aquino  in  Evangelia  Dominicalia,  and  Beda  super 
Epistolas,  bounde  together,  price  2s  8d. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  same  day,  one  Ilom- 
ilie  Johannis  Chrysostomi  in  Matheum,  the  price  2s. 

Item,  one  Homilie  Jo.  Chrysostomi  in  Johannem  Mar  cum  et 
Lucam,  price  2s.  4d. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  xjt  day  of  Aprill, 
Dionysium  Carthus.  in  Evang.  in  viij,  bound  in  ij,  price  5s. 

Item  delyvered  the  same  day,  to  my  Lorde  Chauncellour  of 
England,  iiijc  Proclamacions  concernyng  stealyng  of  haukes  egges, 
and  kepyng  of  soure  haukes;  eche  conteynyng  a  leafe  of  basterde 
paper,  at  jd  the  pece.    Summa  35s. 

Item  delyvered  to  my  Lorde  Chauncellour  the  xvj  day  of  Aprill, 
iiijc  Proclamacions  concernyng  stealing  of  haukes  eggs,  and  kepyng 
of  soure  haukes;  eche  of  them  conteynyng  a  hole  leaflfe  of  Jene 
paper  at  ob.  the  pece.    Summa  1 6s.  8d. 

Item  for  iiijc  of  the  same,  that  were  new  made  ageyne,  at  ab. 
the  pece.    Summa  1 6s.  8d. 

Item  delyvered  to  my  Lorde  Chauncellour  of  England,  the  xx 
day  of  Aprill,  all  these  Actes  folio wyng,  printed  in  Proclamacions; 
that  is  to  wete,  vc  of  the  Acte  concernyng  counterfeit  lettres  or 


42 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


privie  tokens,  to  receyve  money  or  goodes  in  other  mens  handes; 
eche  of  them  conteynyng  a  leaffe  of  Jene  paper,  at  ob.  the  pece, 
20s.  lOd. 

Item  delyvered  vc  of  the  Acts  concernyng  bying  of  fisshe  upon 
the  see;  eche  of  them  conteyning  one  hole  leaffe  of  basterde  paper, 
at  jd  the  pece.    Summa  41s.  8d. 

Item  delyvered  ijc  of  the  Acte  concernyng  foldyng  of  clothes  in 
North  Walles,  eche  of  them  conteynyng  halfe  a  leaffe  of  basterde 
paper,  at  ob.  the  pece.    Summa  8s.  4d. 

Item  vc  of  the  Acte  concernyng  pewterers;  eche  of  them  con- 
teynyng one  hole  leaffe  of  basterde  paper,  at  jd  ob.  the  pece.  Summa 
31.  2s.  6d. 

Item  C  of  the  Acte  concernyng  kepyng  of  greate  horsses;  eche 
of  them  conteynyng  ij  hoole  leafes  of  basterde  paper,  at  ijd  the  pece. 
Summa  41.  3s.  4d. 

Item  Vc  of  the  Acte  concernyng  crossboues  and  hande  gonnes; 
eche  of  them  conteynyng  iij  holle  leaves  dim.  of  basterde  paper  at 
iijd  ob.  the  pece.    Summa  71.  5s.  lOd. 

Item  Vc  of  the  Acte  concernyng  the  conveyaunce  of  brasse, 
latene,  and  bell  metall  over  the  see;  eche  of  them  conteynyng  one 
holle  leafe  of  basterde  paper,  at  jd  the  pece.    Summa  41s.  8d. 

Item  vc  of  the  Acte  ageynst  conjuracions,  witchecraftes  sorcery, 
and  inchauntementes  eche  of  them  conteynyng  one  holle  leafe  of 
Jene  paper,  at  ob.  the  pece.    Summa  20s.  lOd. 

Item  vc  of  the  Acte  for  the  mayntenaunce  of  artillarie,  debar- 
ryng  unlaufull  games;  eche  of  them  conteynyng  iiij  holle  leaves  of 
basterde  paper,  at  llljd  the  pece.    Summa  81.  6s.  8d. 

Item  vc  of  the  Acte  concernyng  the  execucion  of  certeyne  Stat- 
utes; eche  of  them  conteynyng  iij  hoole  leaves  dim.  of  bastarde 
paper,  at  iijd  ob.  the  pece.    Summa  71.  5s.  lOd. 


.1117  T/.JM 
•|( )  .!  ..10  /  MO  ;)/i<i  ;  ) 

I  /  YH  /MII  HOM  Md  /  '  i   /  I 


LET. 


ic-s  Hi  other  mens  handes; 
paper,  at  ob.  the  pece, 

<i«fihe  upon 
'  paper, 

lofhes  in 
ide 

i-ers  ;  a  con- 

at  id  ob.  Summa 

^         /niKxtJALF  Mi.vDix^:"^,/'^  ^^^^  horsses;  eche 

KKN  A\\|.;  I!()/j.:vx.  ■  I> 

at 

?  of  brasse, 
in  conteynyng  one 
ama  41s.  8d. 
witchecraftes  sorcery, 
holle  leafe  of 

iie,  debar- 
leaves  of 

i  icyae  Stat- 
of  bastarde 


1  M  >  ■ 


20s.  i 
ntenat 

eche  ui  them  conte} 
the  1 
\e  concei 

^  iij 

na  i  i.  '>^~>- 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


43 


Item  yc  of  tlie  Acte  for  bouchers  to  selle  at  their  libertie,  by 
weyghte  or  otherwise;  eche  of  them  conteynyng  one  holle  leafe  of 
basterde  paper,  at  Id  the  pece.    41s.  8d. 

Item  yc  of  the  Acte  for  murdre  and  malicius  bloudshed  within 
the  Courte;  eche  of  them  conteynyng  iij  hole  leaves  dim.  of  Bas- 
terde paper  at  iijd  ob.  the  pece.    Summa  71.  5s.  lOd. 

Item  xij  of  the  Acte  concernyng  certeyne  Lordships,  translated 
from  the  Countie  of  Denbigh  to  the  Countie  of  Flynt;  eche  of  them 
conteynyng  one  hoolle  leaffe  of  basterde  paper,  at  jd  the  pece. 
Summa  12d. 

Item  vc  of  the  Acte  concernyng  false  prophesies  upon  declara- 
cion  of  armes,  names,  or  badges;  eche  of  them  conteynyng  a  dim. 
leafe  of  basterde  paper,  at  ob.  the  pece,  20s.  lOd. 

Item  yc  of  the  Acte  concernyng  the  translation  of  the  saynctu- 
arie  from  Manchestere  to  Westechester ;  eche  of  them  conteynyng  one 
hoolle  leaffe  dim.  of  basterde  paper,  at  ob.  the  pece.  Summa 
31.  2s.  6d. 

Item  yc  of  the  Acte  for  worsted  yarne  in  Northef olke ;  eche  of 
them  conteynyng  a  hoolle  leaffe  of  basterde  paper,  at  jd  the  pece. 
Summa  41  s.  8d. 

Item  yc  of  the  Acte  for  confirmacion  and  continuacion  of  cer- 
teyne Actes;  eche  of  them  conteynyng  one  hoolle  leafe  of  basterde 
paper,  at  jd  the  pece.    Summa  41s.  8d. 

Item  yc  of  the  Acte  for  the  true  making  of  kerseyes;  eche  of 
them  conteynyng  one  holle  leafe  dim,  of  basterde  paper,  at  jd  ob. 
the  pece.    Stmma  31.  2s.  6d. 

Item  yc  of  the  Acte  expondyng  a  certeyn  Statute  concernyng 
the  shippyng  of  clothes;  eche  of  them  conteynyng  a  dim  leafe  of 
basterde  paper,  at  ob.  the  pece.    Summa  20s.  lOd. 

Item  for  the  byndyng  of  ij  Primmers,  written  and  covered  with 


44 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


purple  velvet,  and  written  abowte  with  golde,  at  iijs  the  pece. 
Summa  6s. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  vj  day  of  Maye,  xij 
of  the  Statutes  made  in  the  Parliament  holden  in  the  xxxiijti  yere 
of  his  moste  gracious  reigne;  at  xvjd  the  pece.    Summa  16s. 

Item  delyvered  to  Mr  James,  Maister  Denes  servaunte  for  the 
Kinges  hyghnes  use,  the  xvjth  day  of  Maye,  a  greate  booke  of  paper 
imperiall,  bound  after  the  facion  of  Venice,  price  15s. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  seid  Maister  James,  for  the  Kinges  hygh- 
nes use,  another  greate  booke  of  paper  imperiall,  bounde  after  the 
Italian  fascion,  the  price  14s. 

Item  delyvered  the  xiiij  day  of  June,  to  Maister  Daniell,  ser- 
vaunte to  Maister  Deny,  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes  use,  ij  bookes  of 
paper  royall,  bound  after  the  Venecian  fascion,  the  price,  18s. 

Item  delyvered  to  Maister  Secretory,  Maister  Wrysley  the  v  day 
of  November,  iij  dosen  bookes  of  the  Declaracion  of  the  Kinges 
hyghnes  title  to  the  soverayntie  of  Scotland,  at  iiijd  the  pece. 
Summa  12s. 

Item  delyvered  to  Maister  Jones,  servaunte  to  Maister  Deny, 
the  XXX  daye  of  December,  v  Tullius  de  Offlcijs,  bounde  in  paper 
bourdes,  at  xvjd  the  pece,  and  one  gorgiously  gilted  for  the  Kinges 
hyghnes,  price  iijs  iiid  Summa,  10s. 

Item  for  byndyng  of  a  paper  booke  for  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  and 
the  gorgious  giltyng  thereof,  delyvered  the  xiiij  day  of  January  to 
Mr  Turner,  3s.  4d. 

Item  delyvered  to  Maister  Hynnige,  for  the  Kinges  hyghnes 
use  the  vij  day  of  Febr.  a  greate  paper  booke  of  royall  paper, 
bounde  after  the  Yenecian  fascion,  price  8s. 

Item  delyvered  the  ix  day  of  February,  to  my  Lorde  Chauncel- 
lour,  vjc  of  the  Proclamacions  for  white  meates,  at  ob.  the  pece,  25s. 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


45 


Item  delyvered  the  vj  day  of  Marche,  iij  bookes  of  "The  Insti- 
tution of  a  xp'en  man,"  made  by  the  clergy,  vnto  the  Kinges  most 
honerable  Counsayll  at  xxd  the  pece,  5s. 

Anno  Domini  1543. 

Item  delyvered  the  vj  day  of  Aprill,  to  Maister  Henry  Knyvett, 
for  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  a  bridgement  of  the  Statutes,  gorgiously 
bounde,  5s. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  moost  honerable  Counsaill,  the 
viiij  day  of  Aprill,  iij  litle  bookes  of  the  Statutes,  price  xijd  Item 
iij  bookes  of  the  vj  Articles,  price  vjd  Item  iij  of  the  Proclama- 
cions  ageynst  Anabaptistes,  price  vjd  Item  iij  Proclamacions  of 
ceremones,  price  vj4  Item  iij  of  the  Injunccions,  price  vjd  Item 
iij  of  holy  dayes,  price  iij  4    Summa.  3  s.  3d. 

Item  delyvered  to  my  Lorde  Chauncellour  of  England  the  iiij 
daye  of  Maye,  ijc  Proclamacions  concernyng  the  price  of  suger,  con- 
teynyng  one  hole  leafe  of  basterde  paper,  at  jd  the  pece.  Summa. 
16s.  8d. 

Item  for  the  byndyng  of  a  booke  written  on  vellim,  by  Maister 
Turner,  covered  with  blacke  velvet,  16d. 

Item  delyvered  to  my  Lorde  Chauncellor,  the  xxxj  day  of  Maye, 
vc  of  the  Acte  for  the  advauncement  of  true  religion  and  abolissh- 
ment  of  the  contrarie,  made  out  in  Proclamacions;  eche  of  them 
conteynyng  iii  leaves  dim.  of  greate  basterde  paper,  at  iijd.  ob.  the 
pece.    Summa,  71.  5s.  lOd. 

Item  delyvered  vc  of  the  Acte  for  the  explanacion  of  the  statutes 
of  willes,  made  out  in  Proclamacions ;  eche  of  them  conteynyng  iii 
leaves  of  great  basterd  paper,  at  iijd  the  pece.    Summa,  6s.  5d. 

Item  delyvered  vc  of  the  Acte  agaynst  suche  parsones  as 
doe  make  bankeruptes,  made  out  in  Proclamacions,  eche  of  them 


46 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


conteynyng  two  greate  leaves  of  basterde  paper,  at  ijd.  the  pece. 
Summa,  41.  3s.  4d. 

Item  delyvered  vc  of  tlie  Acte  for  the  preservacion  of  the  ryver 
of  Severne,  made  oute  in  Proclamacions ;  eche  of  them  conteynyng 
two  small  leaves  of  paper,  at  jd,  the  pece ;  41s.  8d. 

Item  delyvered  vc  of  the  Acte  concernyng  collectours  and 
receyvours,  made  out  in  Proclamacions;  eche  of  them  conteyning  a 
leafe  dim.  of  paper,  at  jd.  the  pece.    Summa,  41s.  8d. 

Item  delyvered  vc  of  the  Acte  for  the  true  making  of  coverlettes 
in  Yorke,  made  oute  in  Proclamacions;  eche  of  them  conteyning  ij 
smalle  leaves  of  paper,  at  jd.  the  pece.    Summa.  41s.  8d. 

Item  delyvered  vc  of  the  Acte  for  the  assise  of  cole  and  woode, 
made  owt  in  Proclamacions ;  eche  of  them  conteynyng  a  leafe  of  smalle 
paper,  at  ob.  the  pece.    Summa,  20s.  lOd. 

Item  delyvered  vc  of  the  Acte,  that  persons,  beyng  noe  common 
surgions,  may  mynistre  outwarde  medycines,  made  oute  in  Procla- 
macions; eche  of  them  conteynyng  a  leafe  of  smalle  paper,  at  ob. 
the  pece.    Summa,  20s.  lOd. 

Item  delyvered  vc  of  the  Acte  to  auctorise  certeyne  of  the  Kinges 
majesties  counsaill  to  sett  prices  upon  wines ;  made  out  in  Procla- 
macions, eche  of  them  conteynyng  a  leafe  of  paper,  at  ob.  the  pece. 
Summa,  20s.  lOd. 

Item  delyvered  vc  of  the  Acte  for  the  true  making  of  pynnes, 
made  out  in  Proclamacions;  eche  of  them  conteynyng  halfe  a  leafe 
of  paper,  at  ob.  the  pece.    Summa,  10s  5d  ^d. 

Item  delyvered  vc  of  the  Acte  for  the  true  making  of  frises  and 
cottons  in  Wales,  made  oute  in  Proclamacions;  eche  of  them  con- 
teynyng a  leafe  of  paper,  at  ob.  the  pece.    Summa,  2 Is.  8d. 

Item  delyvered  fiftie  of  the  Acte  for  pavying  of  certeyne  lanes 


•I  two  tT'^Ht-*  f  '>8'^t<^Ho  T  !>T,er,  at  ijd.  the  pece. 

nervaiuon  of  the  ryver 
0  of  them  conteynyng 
two  41s.  8d. 

ft  conremvnsr  col.         s  and 
m  conteyning  a 

the  I 

1  yc  of  the  s 
'  6  in  Pro<  :i  conteyuuig  ij 

of  p»  mma.  41s.  8d. 

Item  Pj^       i)^  assise  of  cole  and  woode, 

made  owt  -  ng  a  leafe  of  smalle 

S.VI'IX    i;iMi|\(,    (»|.    ,\    (  ()Ll.i;(  riOX    of    SlXTKKXTri-fKX'rdJV  tkacts. 

oute  in  Procla- 
«ir,  at  ob. 


lie  ol  the  Kinges 
.„'o;  iuadt;  out  in  Procla- 
ti  leate  of  paper,  at  ob.  the  pece. 


.iiv.^cte  for  the  true  makii 
•ms;  eche  of  ^V^  v  ,  conteynyng  .ue 
r>..    Summa,  i  -    v(  |d. 
of  the  Acte    '   ^ +  -  •  '>>aking  of  frises  and 
1'  oute  in  eche  of  them  con- 

at  ob.  tl  la,  2 Is.  8d. 

of  +>tfi  of  certeyne  lanes 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


47 


and  streets  in  London  and  Westm.,  made  out  in  Proclamacions ;  eche 
of  them  conteynyng  ij  leaves  of  smalle  paper,  at  jd.  the  pece,  4s.  2d. 

Item  delyvered  fiftie  of  the  Acte  for  knyghtes  and  burgeses  to 
have  places  in  the  parliament,  for  the  county-palantyne  and  citie  of 
Chester,  made  out  in  Proclamacions;  eche  of  them  conteynyng  a 
leaffe  of  smalle  paper,  at  ob.  the  pece;  2s.  Id. 

Item  delyvered  f ourtie  bookes  of  the  Acte  for  certeyne  ordenaunces 
in  the  Kinges  majesties  dominion  and  principalitie  of  Wales,  at  iiijd 
the  pece.    Summa  13s.  4d. 

Item  deljrs^ered  to  the  Kinges  highnes,  the  firste  day  of  June, 
xxiiij  bookes  in  titled  "A  necessary  doctrine  for  any  Christen  man," 
at  xvjd.  the  pece.    Summa,  32s. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  third  day  of  June 
xxiiij  bookes  intitled  "A  necessary  doctrine  for  any  Christen  man," 
at  xvjd  the  pece.    Summa,  32s. 

Item  delyvered  to  the  Kinges  hyghnes,  the  iiij  day  of  June, 
xxiiij  of  the  booke  intitled  '*A  necessary  doctryne  for  any  Christen 
man,"  at  xvjd  the  pece.    Summa,  32s. 

Item  delyvered  to  Maister  Stokeley,  the  xij  day  of  June,  xij 
Proclamacions  for  the  advancement  of  true  religion,  at  iijd.  ob.  the 
pece;  3s.  6d. 

Item  XX  of  the  Proclamacions  of  the  Acte  for  explanacion  of 
the  statute  of  willes,  at  iijd  the  pece.    Summa,  5s. 

Item  xj  proclamacions  of  the  Acte  of  bankerupte,  at  ijd.  the 
pece.    Summa,  3s.  4d. 

Item  XX  Proclamacions  of  the  Acte  for  Severne,  at  jd.  the  pece. 
Summa,  20d. 

Item  XX  Proclamacions  of  the  Acte  of  collectours  and  receyvours, 
at  jd,  the  pece,  20d. 


48 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


Item  XX  Proclamacions  of  the  Acte  for  making  of  coverlettes  in 
Yorke,  at  jd.  the  pece.    Summa,  20d. 

Item  XX  of  the  Proclamacions,  that  persones  beyng  noe  comon 
surgions  may  ministre  outewarde  medicynes,  at  ob.  the  pece. 
Summa,  lOd. 

Item  XX  Proclamacions  of  the  Acte  for  certeyne  of  the  Kinges 
maiesties  counsaill  to  sett  prices  of  wynes;  at  ob.  the  pece. 
Summa,  lOd. 

Item  XX  Proclamacions  of  the  Acte  for  true  making  of  pynnes, 
at  qa  the  pece,  5d. 

Item  XX  Proclamacions  of  the  Acte  for  true  maxing  of  frises  and 
cottons  in  Wales;  at  ob.  the  pece.    Summa,  lOd. 

Summa  totalis,  cxvijli  vj.  d.  ob. 

THOMAS  AUDELEY, 

Cancellarius. 

The  consideration  of  Thomas  Berthelet  as  a  printer  is  foreign 
to  my  present  purpose;  the  subject  is  a  large  one,  and  requires 
special  treatment  and  a  long  and  careful  study.  There  are  more 
works  left  that  were  printed  by  Berthelet  than  there  are  of  any 
other  of  our  early  English  printers,  and  the  greater  number  of  the 
works  he  chose  for  reproduction  are  important  and  valuable,  — 147 
books  are  known  to  have  been  printed  by  him.  Many  of  Berthelet's 
types  are  very  beautiful.  Some  of  them  are  black  letter ;  perhaps  one 
of  the  finest  founts  is  that  used  for  the  Confessio  Amantis  of  John 
Gower.  Plate  II.  shows  a  reproduction  of  the  beautiful  title-page 
of  this  book,  of  which  I  believe  the  border  is  one  of  Berthelet's 
own  designing,  or  at  all  events  made  by  the  design  of  the  stamps 
used  on  his  bindings ;  the  resemblance  of  many  of  the  black  curves 
printed  in  this  book  to  those  used  in  gold  on  the  leather  will  be  at 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


49 


once  apparent.  Whenever  any  student  ventures  upon  a  close  exam- 
ination of  the  printed  work  of  Berthelet,  he  will  be  met  with  an 
important  initial  difficulty,  which  is,  that  Berthelet's  nephew  and 
successor,  Thomas  Powell,  was  misguided  enough  to  leave  out  the 
word  "late"  on  several  of  his  imprints;  that  is  to  say,  he  printed 
many  books  absolutely  as  if  they  had  been  issued  by  Berthelet 
himself,  using  the  same  types  and  the  same  trade  expressions  alto- 
gether. In  many  instances  it  will  be  almost  impossible  to  decide 
definitely  whether  a  particular  book  was  printed  by  the  master 
himself  or  only  by  his  man. 

In  the  long  list  of  works  printed  by  Berthelet  which  is  given 
by  Ames,  there  are  statutes  dated  as  early  as  1529;  and  besides 
official  publications,  there  are  numerous  miscellaneous  books  of  an 
important  character.  Among  these  are  several  written  by  Sir 
Thomas  Elyot  and  Erasmus;  Gower's  Confessio  Amantis;  Lyttyl- 
ton's  Tenures;  bibles,  dictionaries,  plays,  and  chronicles. 

On  the  title-page  of  a  copy  of  Marcus  Aurelius's  golden  book  is 
an  ornamental  border.  This  border  consists  of  a  design  of  boys  in 
procession,  one  being  carried  on  the  shoulders  of  four  others,  and 
has  at  the  top  a  medallion  with  two  sphinxes;  the  same  design, 
however,  if  not  the  same  block,  was  used  by  other  printers  besides 
Berthelet.  Berthelet's  own  device  is  a  figure  of  Lucretia  stabbing 
herself,  with  a  landscape  in  the  distance  and  an  architectural  frame- 
work. 

The  colophons  in  Berthelet's  books  are  found  both  in  Latin  and 
in  English,  one  of  the  most  usual  being:  — 

"Imprinted  in  Fletestrete  in  the  house  of  Thomas  Berthelet 
nere  to  the  condite  at  the  sygne  of  Lucrece." 

Common  forms  are  also:  — 

"Londoni  in  Aedibus  Tho.  Bertheleti,"  "Thome  Bertheletus 


50 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


regius  impressor  exciidebat,"  and  "Impressus  Londini  in  edibus 
regii  impressoris." 

And  of  rarer  occurrence  are  the  words :  — 

"In  Aedibus  Thome.  Bertheleti  typographi  regii  typis  impress," 
and  "Impressum  in  Flete-Strete  prope  aquagium  sub  intersignio 
Lucretiae  Romanae." 

There  is  a  curious  limit  given  as  to  price  in  a  note  at  the  end 
of  a  copy  of  the  "Doctrine  and  Erudition  for  any  Christian  Man," 
printed  in  1543,  which  says:  "This  boke  bounde  in  paper  boordes 
or  claspes,  not  to  be  sold  aboue  XYId." 

A  few  books  were  printed  from  1556  to  1560  with  Berthelet's 
colophons,  after  his  death,  on  which  the  word  "late"  is  prefixed  to 
his  name,  but  this  does  not  appear  always  to  have  been  done. 

Thomas  Berthelet  enjoyed  what  in  his  time  must  have  been  a 
very  lucrative  post.  Not  only  had  he  his  regular  fee,  but  he  was 
also  constantly  employed  in  official  work,  for  which  he  was  sepa- 
rately paid,  besides  which  he  had  private  customers.  There  are 
several  entries  respecting  the  investment  of  his  property  to  be  found 
in  the  Patent  Rolls  of  Henry  VIII.  Among  these  there  are  some 
which  are  of  interest,  as  showing  how  carefully  changes  of  property 
were  noted  in  those  days ;  e.  g. :  — 

"  On  payment  of  a  sum  of  40  shillings  licence  was  granted  to 
Richard  Moryson  to  alienate  two  houses  in  Friday  Street  to  Thomas 
Berthelet."    (Patent  Roll.    34  Hen.  YIIL,  Pt.  11.) 

Again:  "Grant  to  Thomas  Berthelet  of  messuages  and  lands  in 
St.  Andrews,  Holborn,  and  St.  Bride's  Fleet  Street  for  a  sum  of 
£189.  3.  11."    (Patent  Roll.    35  Hen.  VIII.,  Pt.  III.) 

And  yet  another  grant  is  found  in  the  Patent  Roll,  36  Henry 
VIII.,  Pt.  XII.,  by  which  Thomas  Berthelet  received  the  following 
property  in  consideration  of  a  payment  of  £212.  10.  0.:  — 


THOMAS  BEKTHELET. 


51 


"A  house  in  the  parish  of  St.  Bride,  known  as  Salisbury  Place 
formerly  in  the  occupation  of  Richard  Hyde,  and  before  that  belong- 
ing to  the  dissolved  monastery  of  Godstowe  in  Oxfordshire. 

A  house  in  the  parish  of  St.  Margaret  Moyses  in  Friday  Street 
in  the  city  of  London  in  the  occupation  of  John  Stanes. 

"Another  house  in  the  same  parish  in  the  occupation  of  James 
Wilson,  and  various  houses  also  in  the  same  parish  in  the  occupa- 
tion of  William  Egleston. 

"A  house  in  Distaff  Lane  in  the  parish  of  St.  Margaret  Moyses 
in  the  occupation  of  John  Greene. 

"All  the  above  houses  in  the  parish  of  St.  Margaret's  having 
formerly  belonged  to  the  monastery  of  the  Graces  near  the  Tower  of 
London. 

"Two  houses  in  the  parish  of  St.  Bride,  Fleet  Street,  one  in  the 
occupation  of  John  Hulson  (scriptoris)  and  the  other  in  the  occupa- 
tion of  John  Lyons  goldsmith  (aurifabri),  both  of  which  were  pre- 
viously part  of  the  possessions  of  the  Priory  and  Hospital  of  St. 
John  of  Jerusalem." 

The  will  of  Thomas  Berthelet,  Citizen  and  Stationer  of  London, 
is  dated  September  23,  1555.  It  directs  that  his  property  shall  be 
chiefly  divided  between  his  wife  Margery  and  his  two  sons,  Edward 
and  Anthony,  to  each  of  whom  substantial  property  in  land  and 
houses  is  left,  the  elder  one  receiving  the  manor  of  Hilhampton  in 
Hereford. 

Thomas  Powell,  his  nephew,  and  all  his  godchildren  are  remem- 
bered, also  his  wife's  sister;  and  each  apprentice  receives  the  value 
of  his  own  yearly  royal  fee,  four  pounds. 

The  will  also  — 

Directs  that  his  body  shall  be  buried  in  the  parish  church  of 
St.  Bride's,  Fleet  Street,  in  the  Lady  Chapel,  and  gives  to  his 


52 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


Son  and  heir,  Edward  Barthelett,  tlie  manor  of  Hilhampton  alias 
Ilhampton,  in  tlie  Co.  of  Hereford,  and  land  in  Harden,  messuages 
and  tenements  in  Fleet  Street,  Bishopsgate  Street,  and  Friday  Street, 
amounting  in  all  to  one  third  of  his  estate. 

To  his  Younger  Son,  Anthony  Barthelett,  he  leaves  premises  in 
Distaff  Lane,  Friday  Street,  Bread  Street,  St.  Sepulchre's  parish,  St. 
Andrews,  Holborn,  with  reversion  to  elder  brother,  and  Thomas 
Powell,  his  nephew. 

To  his  Wife,  Margaret  (Margery),  he  gives  property  in  the  parish 
of  St.  Andrews,  Holborn, 

"and  the  house  with  the  ways  walks  etc,  which  I  reserve  for 
my  own  use  in  Crokhorne  Alley  in  the  said  parish  of  St.  Andrews," 
—  and  a  house  in  the  parish  of  St.  Sepulchre,  with  reversion  to 
the  two  sons  and  the  heirs  of  Margery,  his  wife. 

His  goods  to  be  divided  into  three  parts,  one  to  go  to  his  wife, 
the  second  to  his  two  sons,  with  reversion  to  Christ's  Hospital, 
''lately  erected^  The  third  part  reserved  to  pay  funeral  expenses 
and  provide  the  following:  — 

To  Thomas  Powell,  "nephew,"  £40  in  goods. 
"  Prudence  Skynner,  goddaughter,  20  shillings. 
"  Martha  Salvoine,  goddaughter,  20  shillings. 
"  each  of  his  other  godchildren  six  and  eightpence. 
"  the  church  box  at  St.  Bride,  20  shillings. 
"  Christ's  Hospital,  ten  pounds. 
"  Alice  Cowper,  wife's  sister,  four  pounds  in  money. 
"  each  of  his  apprentices,  four  pounds  in  money  or 

money's  worth. 
"  son  Edward,  gold  chain  weighing  12  ozs. 
"    "   Anthony,  gold  chain  weighing  7  ozs. 
Residue  of  goods  left  to  wife,  Margery,  sole  executrix. 


52 


id  Friaay  Street, 

remises  in 
nshy  St. 
as 


irish 


■  a  house  in 

.      ^  CALF   IUXl)lS(Ji.ii),F    -.11  1. 

the  two  sons  antt  tn^' 


s  i  reseive  for 
ji  St.  Andi-ews," 


s  walks 
said 

cLAri)  iGtyxr  ouaiio  ad  :\iai)K 


with  reversion  to 


FOI!  TlIK  KrX(i. 


^'ife, 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


53 


Trustees,  John  Abingtone,  gentleman,  clerk  of  the  Queen's 
woodyard,  and  John  Wekes,  citizen  and  goldsmith, 
with  a  legacy  of  four  pounds  apiece. 
Witnesses,       Richard  Heywood. 

Edward  Ridge. 
John  Hulson. 
Probate  granted  9th  Nov^  1555. 

He  probably  died  shortly  after  this  will  was  executed,  as  there 
is  the  following  entry  in  the  Stationers'  Hall  Book  A,  of  the  date 
1556:  "Reed  of  Margery  barthelett  wydow  XXVI  Janu.  iiji  vis  viijd 
which  Tho.  Berthelett  hyr  husbande  receuyed  of  Mr.  Chamberlayne 
to  the  use  of  our  companye  for  Mr.  andrewes  Rewarde  at  his  settynge 
over  to  the  vyntenners.  .  .  .  Item  recevyd  at  the  presente  tyme  of  the 
sayde  margery  for  a  rewarde  to  the  copanye  for  comynge  to  the  sayde 
thomas  bartheletts  his  buryal  xiii  iiij." 

Mrs.  Margery  eventually  married  Richard  Payne,  as  is  recorded 
in  the  Repertories  and  Journals  of  the  City  of  London  (13  and  15 
Hustings  Roll  251.  Nos.  10.  11);  and  Richard  Grafton,  grocer, 
and  the  same  Richard  Payne,  gentleman,  were  appointed  trustees  of 
the  children  of  Thomas  Berthelet,  according  to  the  then  custom 
of  the  city. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  BOOKBINDINGS  OF  THOMAS  BERTHELET,  WITH  DETAILED 
DESCRIPTIONS  OF  SOME  TYPICAL  EXAMPLES. 


CHAPTER  III. 


THE  BOOKBINDINGS  OF  THOMAS  BERTHELET. 

As  has  been  shown,  Thomas  Berthelet  lived  in  troublous  times 
for  bookbinding.  He  doubtless  knew  of  the  rich  Mediaeval  bind- 
ings, which  in  his  day  were  rapidly  becoming  scarce,  and  he  was 
of  course  familiar  with  the  old  blind-stamped  leather  work  as  well 
as  the  brown  panel  stamps  which  were  common  at  his  time.  He 
probably  knew,  also,  the  beautiful  gold-tooled  Italian  bindings  which 
came  over  from  the  Continent  as  rarities  about  the  beginning  of  the 
sixteenth  century.  It  will  never  be  known  with  certainty  whether 
Italian  workmen  came  over  here  and  taught  Berthelet  the  art  of 
gold-tooling  on  leather.  If  this  was  not  the  case,  then  Berthelet 
experimented  for  himself  and  soon  became  proficient,  but  several  of 
his  earlier  bindings  betray  the  hand  of  a  tyro  in  this  difficult  art. 
In  favour  of  the  theory  that  an  Italian  gilder  came  to  this  country 
about  the  time  that  Berthelet  became  royal  printer  to  Henry  YIII. 
is  the  fact  that  there  was  at  least  one  binding  made  for  James  V., 
King  of  Scotland,  adorned  with  gold-tooling,  executed  on  calf  by  some 
craftsman  endowed  with  greater  technical  skill  than  Berthelet  ever 
showed.  This  binding  is,  however,  of  a  weaker  design  than  Berthe- 
let's  are :  his  designs  are  never  frittered  as  this  one  is ;  nevertheless, 
it  must  be  noted  that  there  are  on  the  Scottish  bindings  some  of 
the  same  stamps  that  Berthelet  used,  as  well  as  others  of  a  slighter 
and  more  ornate  character.  The  volume  is  figured  in  the  Diction- 
ary of  English  Book  Collectors,  Part  V.,  and  in  1894  it  belonged  to 
the  late  Mr.  Bernard  Quaritch,  of  15  Piccadilly,  London. 

57 


58 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


Berthelet  must  have  foreseen  the  very  decorative  possibilities 
that  lay  in  the  direction  of  gold-tooling  on  leather,  promising  indeed 
to  compensate  to  a  great  extent  for  the  loss  of  the  beautiful  and 
fast-disappearing  Mediaeval  bindings  in  gold,  silver,  or  ivory.  He 
worked  very  energetically  at  his  new  art  and  quickly  mastered  it, 
the  gilding  on  the  majority  of  his  books  being  excellent.  His 
stamps  were  cut  "solid,"  closely  after  Italian  models,  even  if  those 
he  started  with  were  not  actually  Italian  stamps  purchased  by  him 
from  his  problematical  teacher.  In  time  these  designs  became 
largely  modified,  but  always  retained  much  of  the  Italian  feeling. 
Indeed,  although  Berthelet  eventually  developed  a  style  of  his  own, 
the  Italian  inspiration  is  evident  throughout.  He  could  not  have 
gone  to  a  better  school,  as  it  is,  with  much  justification,  often  held 
that  the  Italian  gold-tooled  bindings  on  leather  of  the  late  fifteenth 
and  early  sixteenth  centuries  are  the  finest  in  taste  and  altogether 
the  most  admirable  ever  produced.  In  consequence  of  the  number 
of  foreign  books  that  came  over  here,  it  was  incumbent  on  the  native 
English  workmen  to  do  what  they  could  to  introduce  a  good  style 
of  indigenous  work,  and  Berthelet  was  the  most  noted  of  the  six- 
teenth-century binders  who  endeavoured  to  do  this.  The  old  Eng- 
lish idea  of  the  circle  entered  largely  into  his  later  and  more  orna- 
mental designs,  as  also  did  the  diamond,  not  in  itself  so  original  a 
style,  as  it  frequently  occurs  elsewhere,  amongst  other  places  on 
books  bound  for  Jean  Grolier. 

The  bindings  of  the  books  printed  by  Thomas  Berthelet  have 
already  in  many  instances  been  noticed  as  examples  of  fine  work- 
manship, but  he  has  not  by  any  means  always  been  credited  with 
their  authorship. 

There  are  certain  volumes  which  belonged  to  Henry  VIII.  at 
a  period  when  Berthelet  was  royal  printer,  some  of  which  were 


V  decorative  po;         k  ; 
n^.^,  '  her,  iH  .  '.aising  indeed 

g  p  )eaiitiful  and 

f-ed  it, 
His 
those 
him 
ame 
ing. 
.  tiis  own, 

inspn-ationp^^E  XI.         ^  T 
Vv^  ^  better  school,  '  much  a,  often  held 

rfiiVL'aAV^'"  I'lMXTED  AT  zi^Ki<^i^  u4:i.  Ki*e  fifteenth 

uii  altogether 
number 
)  native 
>({  style 
L  the  six- 
e  old  Eng- 
more  oma- 
siv       oviHnal  a 
s  on 


ve 
work- 
efl  with 

V^III.  at 
1  which  were 


I 


I 


I 


! 


I 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


59 


actually  printed  by  him,  on  which  certain  stamps  impressed  in  gold 
occur  with  great  frequency.  Several  of  these  stamps  are  peculiar, 
and  all  of  them  bear  the  characteristics  of  being  designed  by  the 
same  artist,  one  who  quite  understood  the  art  of  designing  curves 
for  bookbindings.  There  is  now  little  doubt  that  these  bindings 
issued  from  Berthelet's  workshop,  and  they  may  be  safely  consid- 
ered to  be  his  workmanship. 

Unfortunately  none  of  the  bindings  attributed  to  Berthelet  are 
signed.  There  are  numerous  instances  of  signed  bindings  made  in 
England  both  before  and  during  his  time,  but  these  are  always  on 
panel  stamps,  which  in  all  probability  were  seldom  made  by  Eng- 
lishmen. The  fashion  of  signing  a  binding  outside  has  indeed  been 
seldom  followed  here,  although  it  has  been  common  on  continental 
bindings  for  a  long  period.  When  English  workmen  have  signed 
their  bindings  it  has  generally  been  by  means  of  a  small  paper 
ticket  pasted  on  the  inside,  or  in  very  small  letters  or  initials 
impresssed  at  the  lower  edge  of  the  inside  of  the  boards. 

Most  of  the  bindings  of  the  late  fifteenth  and  early  sixteenth 
centuries  had  silken  ties  fixed  to  the  front  edges  of  the  boards.  This 
peculiarity  was  probably  a  survival  of  an  old  custom  which  pre- 
vailed during  the  Middle  Ages,  when  books  were  largely  written  on 
vellum,  which  is  very  apt  to  curl;  the  ties  helped  the  thick,  heavy 
boards  to  counteract  this  tendency.  The  ties  on  Berthelet's  bind- 
ings are  now  nearly  all  rubbed  off,  but  signs  of  them  can  be  traced 
in  most  cases. 

In  default  of  a  signed  binding,  we  are  driven,  in  Berthelet's 
case,  to  probability  only  with  regard  to  fixing  some  standard  by 
which  to  judge  his  work.   The  stamps  used  on  all  the  books  printed 
by  Berthelet  which  are  still  in  their  original  bindings  are  fortu- 
•  nately  few  in  number,  and  nearly  all  these  stamps  are  found  on  the 


60 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


first  binding  described  in  my  list  below.  The  gilding  on  this  bind- 
ing is  bad,  and  evidently  the  work  of  a  beginner,  and  I  think  it  is 
the  first  English  book  ornamented  with  actual  gold-tooling.  It 
is  dedicated  to  Henry  VIII.  and  belonged  to  him,  and  my  theory  is, 
that  the  king  desired  Berthelet  to  try  the  new  form  of  decoration 
on  one  of  his  own  books,  to  be  marked  with  his  own  heraldic 
devices  and  special  royal  badges.  Berthelet  doubtless  considered  the 
gold-tooling,  which  at  that  time  he  alone  understood  here,  was  a 
more  distinguished  manner  of  marking  his  work  than  the  commoner 
plan  of  signing  his  name,  as  the  foreign  workmen  were  in  the  habit 
of  doing  on  their  large  panel  stamps. 

The  finest  of  Berthelet's  bindings  are  all  royal;  those  he  made 
for  private  owners  are  rarely  very  highly  ornamented.  It  is  not 
known  what  kind  of  binding  he  executed  before  the  time  of  his 
appointment  as  royal  printer ;  indeed,  it  is  quite  possible  that  he  did 
not  begin  binding  until  about  that  period;  i.  e.,  1530.  The  chief 
official  printing  that  he  did  was  in  the  form  of  statutes,  proclama- 
tions, single  sheets,  and  other  publications,  which  required  no  bind- 
ing; but  following  the  fashion  of  his  time,  when  he  did  print  an 
actual  book,  it  is  highly  probable  that  he  also  bound  it.  The 
stamps  he  used  on  his  earliest  bindings  were  new  to  English  work, 
and  it  seems  probable  that  if  they  were  not  actually  sent  over  to 
him  from  Italy  he  cut  them  closely  resembling  some  Italian  model. 
They  were  not  used  after  his  death,  and  this  disuse  of  a  binder's 
stamps  after  his  own  time  is  always  something  of  a  mystery. 
Stamps  cut  in  metal  for  gilding  designs  on  leather  are  very  strong, 
and  as  the  work  they  have  to  do  is  very  light,  they  would,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  last  much  longer  than  they  appear  to  if  they  were  not 
destroyed  purposely.  Most  great  binders  seem  to  have  taken  steps 
to  insure  the  discontinuance  of  the  use  of  their  special  stamps  after 


THOMAS  BEETHELET. 


61 


their  death,  and  so  it  is  usually  conceded  that  if  the  general  design  as 
well  as  the  special  stamps  on  any  binding  are  similar  to  those  found 
on  any  acknowledged  work  of  a  particular  binder,  this  binding  must 
then  be  his  own  work.  Of  course,  other  matters  must  be  in  proper 
accordance  with  such  attribution, —  leather,  date,  and  heraldic  marks, 
if  any.  Also  in  the  case  of  a  binder  who  produced  much  work,  the 
fact  of  a  binding  having  issued  from  his  workshop  would  entitle  it  to 
be  called  his  work,  although  his  own  hand  may  never  have  touched  it. 

The  most  important  works  in  which  figures  and  notices  of  Ber- 
thelet's  bindings  will  be  found  are  Mr.  H.  B.  Wheatley's  book  on 
the  "Remarkable  Bindings  in  the  British  Museum,"  London,  1889, 
in  which  five  specimens  are  figured  in  colour,  none  of  them  attributed 
to  Berthelet,  and  they  are  all  very  bad  plates ;  in  Mr.  R.  R.  Holmes's 
fine  book  on  "Specimens  of  Royal  Bookbinding  from  the  Royal 
Library,  Windsor  Castle,"  London,  1893,  in  which  two  examples  are 
figured,  being  fine  plates  in  colour  by  Mr.  Griggs,  which  two  plates, 
with  one  other,  are  reproduced  in  the  illustrated  Catalogue  of  the 
Exhibition  of  Bookbindings  held  at  the  Burlington  Fine  Arts  Club 
in  1891;  Mr.  W.  Y.  Fletcher's  "English  Bookbindings  in  the  British 
Museum,"  London,  1895,  in  which  several  of  Berthelet's  finer  bind- 
ings are  naturally  included,  all  shown  in  splendid  colour  plates  by 
Mr.  Griggs;  and  in  my  own  monograph  on  "Royal  English  Book- 
bindings," published  in  1896,  in  which  there  is  one  bad  colour  plate 
and  one  excellent  half-tone  (both  by  Evans)  of  acknowledged  Ber- 
thelet bindings.  Besides  these  few  there  are  no  good  plates  to  be 
found ;  indeed,  colour  plates  of  bookbindings  have  been  a  source  of 
much  tribulation  to  authors  until  late  years,  when  Mr.  William 
Griggs,  chromo-lithographer  to  the  queen,  has  made  a  special  study 
of  their  production,  with  the  result  that  he  can  now  produce  the 
*  finest  work  of  the  kind  to  be  found  anywhere. 


62 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


The  immense  majority  of  bookbindings  made  since  the  intro- 
duction of  printing  into  England  are  in  some  sort  of  leather,  and 
there  is  a  very  wide  difference  between  the  most  elaborately  deco- 
rated leather  binding  and  the  usual  rich  Mediaeval  bindings  in 
precious  metals,  which  they  virtually  superseded.  In  Berthelet's 
bill,  quoted  in  the  second  chapter,  will  be  found  one  or  two  entries 
which  remind  us  that  there  really  was  a  sort  of  connecting  link 
between  these  two  widely  divergent  schools  of  book  decoration. 
This  link  is  to  be  found  in  the  embroidered  bindings,  some  of  which, 
in  all  probability  bound  by  Berthelet,  still  remain.  These  bindings, 
without  being  intrinsically  valuable,  are  very  ornamental  indeed, 
and  as  far  as  appearance  goes,  they  may  well  have  given  satisfaction 
even  to  the  magnificent  taste  of  Henry  VHL,  without  adding  to  their 
beauty  the  strong  temptation  of  being  worth  relegating  to  the  melting- 
pot.  In  the  bill  already  quoted  we  find  entries  of  books  bound  in 
velvet  and  in  satin,  and  as  a  fact  we  also  find  among  Henry  VIII.'s 
books  some  which  not  only  fit  the  descriptions  to  some  extent,  but 
having  curves  and  designs  upon  them  which,  allowing  for  the 
unavoidable  differences  due  to  the  material,  strongly  resemble  some 
of  Berthelet's  curves  as  used  on  leather.  The  velvet  bindings, 
some  of  which  remain  that  belonged  to  Henry  VII.,  also  take  their 
place  as  very  decorative  work;  these  are  adorned  in  many  cases 
with  enamels,  a  form  of  ornamentation  having,  in  common  with 
embroidery,  a  strong  claim  to  preservation  because  of  its  beauty, 
although  equally  of  no  intrinsic  value.  There  is  nothing  to  connect 
these  earlier  bindings  with  Berthelet.  The  one  or  two  embroidered 
bindings  which  I  venture  to  attribute  to  him,  and  describe  below 
in  their  chronological  order,  have  certainly  in  two  instances  some 
evidence  to  that  effect  inherent  in  themselves,  inasmuch  as  they 
have  on  their  edges  Berthelet's  usual  legend  painted  in  gold. 


^'^  ■  '.iid  tie  miro- 

i^md  '     1  er,  and 

.J  ditferonce  !  \j  deco- 

iiclet's 
k 


valuable,  are  d, 

)e8,  they  may  well  ^jtion 

;ie  maLTi I itnFp>A  /p:<^j(pf  Henry  VIII  Mig  to  their 

;,  miy  t\w  Strang,              >  of  beine  wo  aeltins- 

■'i*WNri:'fcT)1\^A'Kn  bound  in 

S^-  page  .1  Vtll.'S 

3  but 

?  le  some 

bindings, 
f  ISO  take  their 


110  i  t 


-!   Wltii  d 

'  -  vv 

>  ^^ome 
i.i^ii  as  they 
i  ll  gold. 


THOMAS  BEKTHELET. 


63 


There  are  other  embroidered  books  of  the  time  of  Henry  YHL, 
which  were  worked  for  him  by  his  daughter  Elizabeth,  but  although 
these  probably  enough  were  put  together  for  her  by  Berthelet,  the 
designs  upon  them  have  nothing  of  his  about  them,  having  in  all 
probability  been  designed  by  the  princess  herself.  Some  of  these  are 
at  the  Bodleian  Library  at  Oxford,  and  others  in  the  British  Museum ; 
the  finest  of  them  have  been  already  figured  and  described.* 

There  certainly  are  enough  specimens  left  of  such  ornamental 
bindings  to  show  that  plain  leather  bindings  were  not  always  con- 
sidered elaborate  enough  in  appearance  to  compensate  entirely  for 
the  loss  of  the  gold-jewelled  and  enamelled  productions  which 
immediately  preceded  them ;  and  it  seems  wonderful  that  bindings 
made  in  such  apparently  fragile  materials  as  velvet  and  satin  should 
not  only  be  in  existence  but  actually  in  a  very  good  state  of  preser- 
vation, though  faded  in  colour.  They  are  really  much  more  enduring 
than  is  generally  imagined,  but  unquestionably  numbers  of  them, 
worked  on  velvet,  satin,  and  canvas,  have  perished  or  been  worn  out 
long  ago.  Embroidered  books  were  made  for  all  the  Tudors,  mostly 
on  velvet,  and  a  little  later,  in  the  time  of  Charles  I.,  numbers  of 
them,  usually  small,  were  embroidered  on  satin.  The  dates  of  the 
manuscripts  bound  in  embroidered  velvet  and  satin  by  Berthelet  are 
not  quite  certain,  but  it  is  probable  that  his  work  of  this  kind  in 
both  these  materials  is  the  earliest  made  in  England. 

The  greater  number  of  bindings  made  by  Thomas  Berthelet 
belonged,  as  might  be  expected,  to  Henry  VHL,  Edward  VL,  or  Mary; 
that  is  to  say,  they  formed  part  of  the  old  Royal  Library  of  England. 
This  old  Royal  Library,  or  as  much  as  was  then  left  of  it,  was  given 
by  George  H.  to  the  British  Museum  in  1757,  and  it  forms  perhaps 

*  Davenport,  "English  Embroidered  Bookbindings."    Kegan  Paul,  London,  1899. 


64 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


the  most  valued  special  collection  in  that  institution.  It  must  not, 
however,  be  supposed  that  every  old  English  royal  book  was  really 
included  in  this  library,  for  by  some  means  or  other  a  very  consid- 
erable number  of  them  were  separated  from  the  rest,  and  now  exist 
scattered  all  over  England,  in  private  libraries  as  well  as  at  Windsor. 
Such  books  now  seldom  come  into  the  open  market,  and  if  they  do, 
they  are  generally  purchased  by  the  state,  and  so  return  to  their  old 
companions.  Also,  royal  bookbinders  did  some  work  outside  their 
ofi&cial  limits,  and  small  bindings  of  an  unimportant  kind,  evidently 
the  work  of  Berthelet,  are  not  uncommon  in  England.  They  are 
always  charming,  and  the  simplicity  of  the  quiet  blind  lines  running 
side  by  side  with  others  in  bright  gold  on  the  rich  brown  calf  is 
quite  delightful ;  such  simple  covers  usually  have  a  rectangular  panel 
with  small  Italian  fleurons  at  the  outer  corners,  and  usually  an 
initial,  monogram,  or  heraldic  ornament  in  the  centre. 

Before  printing  was  used  in  England,  the  commonest  leather  for 
bindings  was  goat  or  sheep,  but  Berthelet  found  his  favourite  Italian 
bindings  were  largely  bound  in  calf,  a  leather  having  a  beautiful 
surface,  and  in  some  ways  easier  to  gild  than  goat.  I  believe  he  was 
the  first  English  binder  to  use  this  leather  exclusively ;  it  was  rarely 
used  in  England  before  his  time,  although  it  was  common  on  the 
Continent.  His  calf  bindings,  with  few  exceptions,  are  still  in  excel- 
lent condition,  and  are  always  of  a  beautiful  rich  brown  colour. 
Many  of  these  volumes  have  been,  I  think  unnecessarily,  rebacked; 
certainly  in  all  such  cases  the  old  backs  should  have  been  preserved, 
which  has  not  always  been  done.  There  is,  however,  no  doubt  that 
the  calf  used  on  Berthelet' s  bindings  may  still  be  considered  quite 
sound,  whereas  books  bound  in  that  leather  within  the  last  fifty 
years,  or  even  less,  are  now  all  powdering  away.  In  spite  of  greater 
chemical  knowledge  and  presumably  better  processes  of  tanning  and 


THOMAS  BEETHELET. 


65 


preparing  leather,  the  conclusion  that  this  material,  as  produced 
to-day,  is  not  a  fitting  one  for  books  is  forced  upon  us. 

Berthelet  used  also  a  very  decorative  white  leather,  supposed  to 
be  deerskin  or  doeskin,  prepared  with  lime  in  the  same  manner  as 
vellum.  This  leather  is  soft  and  creamy  in  colour;  it  has  a  smooth 
surface  and  takes  gilding  to  perfection.  There  are  not  many  instan- 
ces of  its  use,  but  those  that  do  exist  are  always  perfectly  strong 
and  sound,  except  where  they  show  signs  of  fair  wear  and  tear. 
The  taste  for  white  gilded  leather  began  with  Berthelet,  and  it  has 
been  highly  esteemed  as  a  style  in  England  almost  ever  since.  Such 
work  was  done  for  all  our  Tudor  sovereigns,  but  the  white  deerskin 
soon  gave  place  to  vellum,  especially  during  the  time  of  our  Stuart 
kings;  and  this,  to  some  extent,  has  been  used  to  the  present  day. 
Probably  the  strongest  and  most  durable  materials  used  for  book- 
binding at  any  time  have  been  the  white  deerskin,  white  vellum, 
and  white  pigskin,  the  first  two  mentioned  being  chiefly  used  in 
England,  and  the  last  in  Germany.  This  durability  is  most  likely 
due  to  the  method  of  preparation  and  the  absence  of  any  dye. 
Bark-tanned  goatskin  is  also  an  excellent  leather,  and  was  much 
used  in  England  from  the  twelfth  century  onwards. 

Several  of  Berthelet's  bindings  bear  legends,  and  texts,  dates,  and 
names,  on  their  sides.  These  inscriptions  are  variously  arranged, 
but  as  a  rule  they  are  contained  in  small  long  panels,  sometimes  in 
circles,  and  rarely  simply  impressed  on  the  side  of  the  book  as  its 
chief  ornament.  In  the  cases  where  coats  of  arms  are  given,  the  ini- 
tials of  the  owner  are  generally  added  as  well.  The  lettering  on  the 
sides  of  the  books  is  either  in  Greek,  Latin,  French,  or  English, 
examples  of  each  of  which  are  described  below,  and  there  is  never 
any  lettering  on  the  backs  of  any  of  them. 

Except  in  so  far  as  the   wording  of  these   inscriptions  is 


66 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


concerned,  which  often  reads  consecutively  on  both  sides,  the  orna- 
mentation is  alike  on  both  boards  of  all  Berthelet's  bindings.  The 
fondness  for  lettering  sentences  on  the  outside  of  his  books  did  not 
stop,  however,  at  the  binding,  as  Berthelet  carried  it  out  also  in 
several  instances  on  the  edges  of  the  leaves  themselves.  The  edges 
of  these  leaves  were  usually  made  a  creamy  colour,  and  a  legend 
was  painted  upon  them  with  gold  paint.  This  legend,  "Rex  in 
Aeternum  Vive,"  is  a  quotation  from  the  Book  of  Daniel;  it  is 
sometimes  followed  by  the  mysterious  word  "Neez  "  or  "  Nez,"  which 
Mr.  Edward  Scott  of  the  British  Museum  considers  to  be  the  three 
first  letters  of  the  words,  i<ia/3ovxo8ovo(ra>p  Eo-aei  ZtjOc,  as  the  phrase  was 
addressed  to  that  king.  Whenever  this  legend  is  found  on  a 
decorative  binding  of  the  time  of  Henry  YHL,  I  should  say  it  is 
a  sure  sign  of  Berthelet's  royal  work. 

Fortunately  this  legend,  on  some  of  Berthelet's  earliest  bindings, 
is  associated  with  certain  stamps  of  marked  character,  which  can 
thus  be  safely  considered  his,  and  which  enable  us,  even  when  they 
are  found  on  other  bindings  without  the  legend,  to  attribute  the 
work  with  certainty  to  him.  It  is  my  opinion  that  all  the  existing 
bindings  in  calf  or  white  deerskin  that  were  made  for  Henry  VHI. 
and  Edward  VL,  as  well  as  most  of  those  for  Queen  Mary,  were 
Berthelet's  work. 

The  legend  on  the  edges  of  the  leaves  of  some  of  Berthelet's 
books  was  not,  however,  the  only  way  in  which  he  decorated  them. 
There  are  other  instances  where  the  whole  edge  is  painted  with 
heraldic  designs  in  colour.  This  fore-edge  decoration  was  not  a  new 
thing  even  in  Berthelet's  time,  but  he  seems  to  have  been  the  first 
to  adopt  it  in  England.  To  some  extent  the  ornamentation  of  the 
edges  of  rare  volumes  has  been  practised  ever  since,  both  in  this 
country  and  abroad.    The  most  elaborate  work  of  the  kind  was,  I 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


67 


believe,  from  the  hand  of  Samuel  Mearne,  royal  binder  to  Charles 
II.,  and  about  a  hundred  years  after  his  time  the  fashion  was 
revived  by  James  Edwards  of  Halifax.  Both  these  binders  painted 
the  edges  of  their  books  so  that  the  pictures  showed  only  when  held 
in  a  certain  position.  Possibly  the  lettering  on  the  edges  of  some  of 
Berthelet's  books  may  have  been  suggested  to  him  by  the  fact  that 
in  Mediaeval  times,  when  books  were  large  and  were  kept  on  their 
sides  with  the  front  edges  forward,  it  was  no  uncommon  thing  to 
write  the  title  on  these  edges  in  large  letters. 

This  title  lettering  is,  however,  very  rarely  ornamentally  treated ; 
it  is  only  used  as  an  eminently  useful  expedient.  Berthelet  makes  it 
a  decorative  feature,  and  substitutes  a  legend,  which  may  be  consid- 
ered as  a  sign  of  royal  ownership,  for  the  more  usual  title  of  the 
book. 

From  such  collections  and  libraries  in  England  as  have  been 
available  to  me  I  have  chosen  a  few  typical  examples  of  Berthelet's 
work  for  detailed  description.  I  have  illustrated  as  many  as  pos- 
sible of  the  finest  specimens  in  colour  plates  by  Kr.  William  Griggs, 
to  whom  my  best  thanks  are  due  for  the  patience  with  which  he  has 
endured  my  superintendence  of  his  work,  and  my  compliments  for 
the  admirable  results  of  his  unequalled  skill  in  this  particular  branch 
of  colour-printing.  Each  of  these  colour  plates  must  yet  be  a  little 
discounted  as  to  the  apparent  freshness  of  their  appearance.  I  think 
that  in  all  prints  and  photographs  old  objects  gain  in  this  way; 
nevertheless,  most  of  the  books  illustrated  are  really  wonderfully 
preserved.  The  half-tone  and  process  blocks  are  also  by  Mr.  Griggs, 
some  of  them  from  my  own  drawings;  the  methods  of  producing 
tone  blocks  capable  of  being  printed  with  type  have  made  great 
advances  in  late  years,  but  I  feel  that  in  America  better  results  are 
obtained  in  this  particular  branch  of  art  than  as  yet  can  be  made 


68  THOMAS  BERTHELET. 

by  English  workmen.  I  have  arranged  the  bindings  which  I  have 
chosen  for  detailed  descriptions  in  chronological  order,  taking  the 
printed  date  as  correct;  it  may  not  be  actually  so  in  all  cases, 
but  under  the  circumstances  I  think  these  dates  are  probably  near 
enough  for  all  present  purposes. 

1528-1530  (?).  Galteri  Deloeni  Libellus  de  tribus  Hierarchiis. 
MS.  Dedicated  to  Henry  VIII.  Bound  in  brown  calf,  and  tooled  in 
gold  with  a  few  blind  lines.  The  ornamentation  consists  in  a  filling 
in  the  spaces,  mostly  triangular,  left  by  the  intersections  of  a  par- 
allelogram aligned  with  the  edges  of  the  boards,  and  a  diamond. 
In  the  centre  is  the  royal  coat  of  arms,  crowned,  cleverly  outlined 
by  reversed  curves.  Between  the  crown  and  the  top  of  the  shield 
are  two  double  roses ;  above  the  crown  are  two  stars ;  at  the  sides  are 
two  cornucopias.  Below  the  shield  are  arabesques ;  four  single  daisies, 
the  daisy  being  a  badge  used  by  Henry  YIII.  and  Edward  VI. 
in  remembrance  of  their  descent  from  Margaret  of  Beaufort;  four 
stars,  and  stamps  representing  the  crucifixion,  and  a  serpent,  with 
references  to  texts.  The  four  large  triangular  spaces  between  the 
rectangle  and  the  diamond  are  ornamented  with  arabesques,  the  upper 
and  lower  spaces  bearing  also  a  stamp  of  the  single  daisy.  Beyond 
the  diamond  come  the  four  large  corners,  each  of  which  is  decorated 
in  a  similar  way.  This  binding  is  a  remarkable  one,  inasmuch  as 
it  contains  nearly  all  the  small  stamps  that  Berthelet  subsequently 
used  in  so  many  combinations,  and  it  is  probably  the  earliest  example 
of  gold-tooling  on  an  English  leather  binding.  The  gilding  is  not 
well  executed,  and  it  is  likely  enough  that  this  is  one  of  his  first 
finished  attempts  at  such  work.  It  is  rougher  than  any  other  example, 
but  in  spite  of  that  it  is  very  effective  and  rich  in  appearance. 

Vitae  illustrium  Virorum.  MS.  Bound  in  brown  calf,  and  gold- 
tooled  with  a  few  lines  in  blind,  and  measuring  14^  by  9^  inches. 


\ 


HELET. 


aiTanged  the  bindings  which  I  have 
om  in  chronological  order,  taking  the 
mav  ]iot  he  actually  so  in  all  cases, 
"S  are  probably  near 

^rarchiis. 
led  in 
s  in  a  tilling 
>ns  of  a  par- 
the  .  and  a  diamond, 

it  of  arras,  crowned,  cleverly  outlined 
{  curves.    Between  the  crown  and  the  top  of  the  shield 
aboWiitejcoOMTi  are  two  stars;  at  the  sides  are 

CALF  ^u^mw  A  ^:ia^"^V)}M:^fi!4  m  Wk  cAMvmHfmM^'^'^^^ 

the  iimm  mxu%K^\i>''H^m\^^'^^^hv}^i]Mm^-^  i;?4]JUi.v^M-dF(S^^ward  VI. 
jjj  r,  iiKNKv  viii..  lo  WHOM  'I'ni:  MS.  IS  Ai)i)i!i;ssi:i^)f  Beaufort;  four 

aiid  Mamp.-,  lUc  c  '^•i'  t^im^l'^nt,  with 

•  '  '  'jn  the 
o,  uie  upper 
sy.  Beyond 
>     11  is  decorated 
one,  *T  '^'^nuch  as 
^  ,.->ntly 

iple 
is  not 
iiis  first 
example, 
nee. 

ii  calf,  and  gold- 
;  14^  by  9^  inches. 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


69 


About  1528  Henry  YHI.  made  a  change  in  the  supporters  of 
his  royal  shield.  His  father,  Henry  Yll.,  who  was  very  proud  of  his 
descent  from  Cadwallader,  the  last  of  the  British  kings,  adopted  and 
used  as  one  of  his  sup- 
porters the  red  dragon 
which  had  been  a 
badge  of  that  king. 
The  red  dragon  was 
used  by  both  Henry 
Vn.  and  Henry  VHL 
as  their  dexter  sup- 
porter, and  with  it,  as 
a  sinister  supporter, 
they  both  also  used 
the  white  greyhound. 
In  or  about  1528 
Henry  VIII.  adopted 
a  crowned  lion  sta- 
tant  as  his  dexter  sup- 
porter, transferring 
the  dragon  to  the  sin- 
ister side,  and  leaving 
out  the  greyhound  al- 
together.    This  lion 

still  remains  the  dexter  supporter  of  the  royal  coat  of  arms  of 
England,  but  the  dragon  was  discontinued  on  the  accession  of  James 
I.  to  the  throne  of  England,  a  unicorn,  one  of  the  supporters  of  the 
ancient  Scottish  coat  of  arms,  being  substituted  for  it.  So  that 
the  stamp  which  forms  the  principal  ornament  on  this  book  was  prob- 
ably cut  about  1528,  certainly  not  much  later;  indeed,  it  is  possible 


70 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


that  this  was  one  of  the  books  bound  by  Berthelet  for  the  king 
before  his  appointment  as  royal  printer.  The  coat  of  arms  is  con- 
tained within  an  oval  ribbon  bearing  the  words,  "REX  HENRICYS 
YIII.  DIEY  ET  MON  DROIT."  The  coat  is  ensigned  with  a  large 
royal  crown,  has  a  dragon  supporter  on  the  dexter  side  and  a  grey- 
hound on  the  sinister;  above  the  crown  is  a  fleur-de-lys  and  a 
double  rose,  and  two  portcullises  depend  by  chains  from  the  lower 
edge  of  the  shield.  The  oval  is  contained  within  a  close  rectan- 
gular panel,  the  inner  angles  of  which  are  tilled  with  an  arabesque 
design.    At  each  outer  corner  is  a  leaf  of  Venetian  character. 

Above  and  below  the  rectangle  is  a  crowned  double  rose,  flanked 
by  the  letters  K  H, — mysterious  letters,  the  meaning  of  which  is  not 
yet  understood.  Beyond  this  again  comes  a  broad  double  border  of 
a  narrow  running  pattern  containing  a  fleur-de-lys  and  a  triple  floral 
ornament.  This  same  border  occurs  on  several  of  Berthelet' s  earlier 
bindings.  The  inner  corners  of  the  rectangular  border  are  filled  with 
a  symmetrical  design  of  a  vase  with  flowers  and  two  curves  termi- 
nating in  human  masks.  There  were  originally  some  outer  lines 
of  small  gold-tooling,  but  these,  as  well  as  the  corners,  have  been 
"repaired"  away. 

On  a  fly-leaf  in  this  volume  is  a  note  which  says:  "Codex  hie 
fuit  olim  Henrici  YIII.,  ei  Jo.  Leylandus  Titulum  fecit — Yitae  illus- 
trium  virorum,  etc."  John  Leyland,  the  antiquary,  was  keeper  of 
the  king's  library  about  1530. 

This  book  undoubtedly  should  be  with  the  rest  of  the  old  royal 
library  at  the  British  Museum,  and  its  inclusion  among  the  books 
at  Oxford  is  explained  by  the  Rev.  W.  Dunn  Macray  in  his  book, 
"The  Annals  of  the  Bodleian  Library,"  in  which  he  mentions  the 
interesting  fact  that  in  August,  1605,  King  James  I.  visited 
the  Bodleian  and  offered  to  present  to  Sir  T.  Bodley,  "from  all  the 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


71 


libraries  of  the  royal  palaces,  whatever  precious  and  rare  books  he 
might  choose  to  carry  away."  So  that,  in  fact,  instead  of  feeling  that 
we  in  London  should  have  the  few  "outside"  royal  books  returned  to 
us,  we  should  perhaps  feel  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  Sir  T.  Bodley  for 
leaving  anything  at  all  in  the  libraries  of  the  royal  palaces,  in  face 
of  King  James's  generous  offer. 

1530  (?).  The  third  volume  of  a  copy  of  the  "Works  of  St.  Chrys- 
ostom,  printed  at  Basle  in  1530,  has  very  kindly  been  shown  to  me 
by  Mr.  E.  Gordon  Duff,  librarian  of  the  Ryland's  Library,  Manchester. 
It  is  bound  in  calf,  and  one  side  is  almost  completely  destroyed,  but 
the  other  is  in  a  fairly  good  condition.  It  measures  15  by  10 
inches,  is  tooled  with  gold  and  blind  lines,  and  bears  as  a  centre 
ornament  a  rectangular  panel  with  the  royal  coat  of  arms  of  Henry 
Vin.  ensigned  with  a  large  crown,  having  as  a  dexter  supporter  a 
greyhound  and  on  the  sinister  side  a  dragon.  This  arrangement  of 
the  supporters  is  wrong,  but  it  is  possibly  unintentional,  and  due 
to  the  forgetfulness  of  the  engraver  when  he  drew  the  design  on  his 
metal  plate.  Above  the  crown  are  two  double  roses,  and  above  it 
are  scattered  impressions  of  a  ring  with  a  dot  in  the  middle.  Below 
the  shield  are  two  portcullises,  chained,  with  a  few  tufts  of  grass. 
This  handsome  coat  of  arms  is  enclosed  by  a  border  on  which  are 
the  words,  "DIEV  ET  MON  DROIT,"  and  small  stamps  of  a  leaf, 
a  single  rose,  and  a  fleur-de-lys ;  above  and  below  are  impressions  of  a 
stamp  of  a  large  double  rose,  crowned,  flanked  by  the  letters  K  H. 
These  initials  are  somewhat  of  a  puzzle.  They  have  been  inter- 
preted as  simply  meaning  King  Henry,  and  perhaps  this  solution  is 
the  easiest  way  out  of  the  difficulty;  but  it  is  not  altogether  satis- 
factory. Besides  "King,"  the  only  other  word  for  which  the  letter 
.  K  is  likely  to  stand  is  the  name  "Katherine,"  and  it  could  only 
then  have  stood  for  either  Katharine  of  Aragon,  who  was  divorced 


72 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


in  1533;  Katherine  Howard,  who  was  married  in  1540  and  was 
beheaded  in  1543 ;  or  Katharine  Parr,  who  was  married  in  1543  and 
survived  the  king. 

A  very  decided  objection  to  the  theory  that  the  initial  K  belonged 
to  any  of  these  queens  is  found  in  the  fact  that  it  precedes  that  of 
the  king  himself,  which  is  not  at  all  likely  to  have  occurred  under  the 
circumstances.  In  the  volume  to  be  described  presently,  where  the 
initials  H  A  are  presumed  to  be  those  of  "Henry"  and  "Anne," 
an  example  is  found  of  the  more  likely  way  in  which  such  initials 
would  occur. 

The  inner  panel  is  enclosed,  at  a  considerable  distance,  by  a 
broad  triple  border,  and  the  inner  corners  of  this  border  are  curi- 
ously ornamented  with  ornamental  gold-tooling  arranged  in  quarter- 
circle  form.  This  style  of  corner  ornamentation  was  common  in  Italy, 
but  very  rare  in  England,  at  the  time  this  book  was  made.  The 
inner  angles  of  each  quarter-circle  bear  triple  impressions  from  a 
stamp  of  trefoil  shape  bearing  small  scroll-work  of  Oriental  charac- 
ter upon  it,  the  ground  gold  and  the  design  showing  in  the  leather. 
The  segments  of  circles  beyond  this  inner  angle  are  ornamented  con- 
secutively with  a  row  of  fleur-de-lys  and  single  roses  alternately;  a 
row  of  small  long-shaped  knots,  often  found  on  Italian  books,  and 
also  occurring  on  one  bound  for  King  James  V.  of  Scotland;  a  row 
of  wavy  flames;  and  beyond  all,  in  the  center  of  the  quarter-circle, 
impressions  in  gold  of  a  leaf  with  stalk  flanked  by  two  roses. 

These  corners,  as  well  as  the  inner  rectangular  panel  and  the 
inner  line  of  the  outer  panel,  are  all  marked  by  lines  of  blind-tool- 
ing, which  are  mitred  at  the  corners. 

The  outer  border  consists  of  an  inner  line  of  wavy  flames,  a 
broadish  line  of  circles  crossed  with  arabesques,  and  an  outer  line 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


73 


of  numerous  impressions  from  the  small  long-shaped  knot  stamp, 
and  beyond  all  are  a  few  blind  lines. 

This  binding  is  in  many  ways  a  very  remarkable  one.  The  gold- 
tooling  upon  it  is  rough,  but  among  the  tools  which  are  evidently 
Berthelet's  are  others  which  are  not  found  on  any  other  of  his  bind- 
ings. I  think  it  is  an  early  work,  and  that  the  existence  upon  it  of 
the  few  delicate  Italian  stamps  can  be  accounted  for  only  by  the 
theory  that  an  Italian  workman  brought  them  over  with  him  and 
taught  Berthelet  the  art  of  gold-tooling.  In  the  case  of  this  particu- 
lar volume,  it  is  possible  that  it  was  one  of  those  done  by  Berthelet 
under  the  eye  of  his  master,  and  that  he  used  some  of  his  foreign 
tools  as  well  as  others  belonging  to  himself. 

Whatever  may  be  the  true  explanation  of  these  difficulties,  there 
is  no  doubt  that  the  binding  is  a  most  valuable  and  interesting  one, 
and  I  thank  Mr.  E.  Gordon  Duff  very  sincerely  for  having  allowed 
me  to  see  it  and  to  have  it  photographed  for  this  monograph.  The 
edges  are  gilded  and  ornamented  with  an  arabesque  design  marked 
upon  them  by  means  of  successive  impressions  from  a  small  ring- 
shaped  stamp. 

The  decoration  of  the  corners  of  the  boards  of  a  binding  with 
ornamentation  arranged  as  a  quarter-circle  was  very  rare  in  England 
until  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  at  which  time  it  was  often  found ; 
then  under  the  Stuart  Kings  James  I.  and  Charles  I.  it  probably 
reached  its  fullest  development,  and  was  especially  favoured  at  Little 
Gidding.  It  is  found  on  fifteenth-century  Italian  bindings,  used  with 
great  skill,  so  that  its  occurrence  on  one  of  Berthelet's  early  bindings 
is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  the  curious  thing  being  rather  that  he  did 
not  use  it  more.  As  it  now  is,  I  think  this  book  is  the  earliest 
existing  English  specimen  of  the  use  of  this  kind  of  ornamentation. 


74 


THOMAS  BEKTHELET. 


1530  (?).  An  interesting  example  in  which  the  decoration  of  a 
binding  is  arranged  with  some  reference  to  the  contents  of  the  book 
occurs  on  the  cover  of  a  French  manuscript  on  ''La  Science  de 
Geometric,"  dedicated  to  King  Henry  VHL,  and  bound  for  him  in 
white  deerskin  by  Thomas  Berthelet.  This  volume  should  always 
have  been  with  the  rest  of  the  old  Koyal  Library  of  England  now 
in  the  British  Museum,  but  by  some  means  it  became  separated,  and 
was  recently  purchased  by  the  trustees  of  that  institution  from  Mr. 
Cornish  of  Manchester. 

The  sides  are  ornamented  with  blind  lines  and  gold-tooling;  a 
large  rectangular  panel  is  marked  out  near  the  edges  of  the  boards  with 
fleurons  at  each  outer  corner;  inside  the  panel  near  the  top  are  the 
words,  "YIVAT  REX,"  in  an  ornamental  cartouche  of  architectural 
elevation ;  below  this,  and  filling  up  most  of  the  remaining  space,  are 
three  narrow  elongated  pyramids  with  triangular  bases ;  the  ground 
is  dotted  irregularly  with  small  stars  and  dots.  In  the  lower  part 
of  the  panel  is  the  word  "GEOMETRIA"  and  a  decorative  scroll. 
This  is  the  only  instance  I  know  in  which  the  lettering  outside  any 
of  Berthelet' s  bindings  has  any  reference  to  the  contents  of  the  book. 

On  the  white  edges  are  the  words,  "  REX  IN  AETERNVM  VIVE 
NEZ,"  ornamentally  written  in  gold  in  large  capital  letters. 

1534.  Bible,  Antwerp,  1534.  In  two  volumes.  Bound  in  brown 
calf,  tooled  in  blind  and  gold,  and  measuring  14J  by  9  inches.  The 
design  on  each  of  these  fine  volumes  is  the  same,  but  the  lettering 
upon  them  is  different.  The  words  on  volume  I.  are,  "AINSI  QUE 
TOUS  MEURENT  PAR  ADAM— AYSSY  TOYS  SERONT  YIYIFIES 
PAR  CHRIST";  and  on  volume  IL,  "LA  LOY  A  ESTE  DONNEE 
PAR  MOYSE  — LA  GRACE  ET  LA  YERITE  EST  FAICTE  PAR 
JESU  CHRIST."  These  words  are  in  large  gilt  capitals  in  short 
lines,  each  word  where  necessary  being  divided  from  the  next  by  a 


74 


\e  in  decoration  of  a 

'  to  the  coj«t  *nts  of  the  book 
La  Science  de 
I  md  for  him  in 
should  always 
^  nerliind  now 
od,  and 
iioin  Mr. 


■■.><_■  iUig,  a 
X.  )oards  with 
e  top  are  the 
architectural 


PL  ATP]  XIV. 

.  ..       ..-.>;  A,     ■  " 

..S\Wl6F'*'^'^^         "^-^  CVUOI'KDIK   1)K  XKXOl'llON.    I'AlilS.  ^^^^^  ^JMtife,  arC 

1  Oi;  KDAVAIM)  VI, 

riiree 


'let 


ide.  Ai! 

of  thes. 
rent. 
PAR 


s,..  ,iJb^?.s:ground 
v\  er  part 
•scroll. 
•  any 
;  le  book. 
TM  VIVE 
I?. 

I  }»rown 
The 

E 

KiES 
;>NNEE 
E  PAR 
)  18  in  short 
(    noxt  by  a 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


75 


small  cross-crosslet.  The  lines  are  contained  in  a  rectangular  panel, 
with  large  corner  stamps  of  a  vase  with  flowers  and  two  floral  curves 
terminating  in  human  masks.  The  triangular  spaces  thus  left  above 
and  below  the  inscription  are  each  filled  by  a  double  rose,  crowned, 
flanked  by  the  letters  H  A,  perhaps  standing  for  "Henry"  and 
"Anne."  Beyond  the  panel  and  touching  it  is  a  broad  border,  made 
up  of  a  double  line  of  stamps  cut  in  the  form  of  an  ornamental 
fleur-de-lys  and  a  three-lobed  flower.  Beyond  the  border  is  a  space 
broken  at  the  corner  with  a  repetition  of  the  vase  stamp,  enclosing 
which  was  in  all  probability  a  narrow  fillet  variously  ornamented 
with  small  designs  like  that  which  occurs  below  the  lettering  on  the 
second  volume. 

Both  these  volumes  have  been  unfortunately  restored  in  places, 
but  the  old  patterns  have  to  some  extent  been  preserved,  and  new 
stamps  cut  on  the  lines  of  the  old  ones,  as  can  be  seen  by  reference 
to  a  binding  now  at  Oxford  which  is  treated  in  a  \  ery  similar  way, 
and  which,  although  it  also  has  received  some  attention  from  an 
inferior  binder,  has  not  been  restored  in  a  like  disastrous  manner. 

1534.  Opus  de  vera  differentia  regiae  potestatis.  Londini,  T. 
Berthelet,  1534;  measuring  8  by  5^. 

This  volume  is  very  like  that  at  the  Bodleian,  already  fully 
described  on  page  69.  The  centre  stamp  is  the  same,  and  so  are  the 
outer  border  and  corners,  but  the  handsome  double  border  is  wanting. 
The  book  has  been  badly  repaired;  in  some  cases  stamps  have  been 
cut  after  the  old  patterns,  but  in  others,  as  for  instance  the  corners 
next  to  the  oval  label,  they  have  been  made  in  a  modern  arabesque 
pattern,  not  like  the  original.  The  book  itself  is  a  fine  specimen  of 
Berthelet' s  printing  on  vellum.  The  heraldic  centre  stamp,  bearing 
the  dragon  and  greyhound  supporters,  is  really  an  anachronism; 
properly  the  supporters  should  be  a  lion  and  a  dragon;  the  stamp, 


76 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


however,  was  seldom  used,  so  Berthelet,  having  it  by  him,  did  not 
trouble  to  cut  another,  as  he  should  have  done. 

1536.  A  charming  little  specimen  of  Berthelet' s  private  binding 
is  now  in  the  Ryland's  Library  at  Manchester,  and  by  the  courtesy 
of  the  librarian,  Mr.  E.  Gordon  Duff,  I  am  enabled  to  describe  it. 

It  is  a  remarkably  fine  copy  of  the  New  Testament,  Tyndale's 
version,  printed  in  London  in  1536;  there  is  an  inscription  inside 
which  shows  that  in  1676  it  belonged  to  Henry,  Duke  of  Newcastle, 
and  later  to  Dr.  Charles  Chauncey. 

It  is  bound  in  brown  calf,  and  has  on  each  side  a  long  upright 
panel  within  a  border  of  ornamented  circles  of  Italian  design.  The 
panel  has  on  one  side  a  unicorn  in  the  centre,  and  on  the  other  a 
talbot,  the  crest  of  the  Heydon  family.  There  are  also  some  initials 
upon  it,  but  these  do  not  seem  to  throw  any  light  upon  its  ownership. 
The  badges  are  surrounded  with  scrolls  made  up  of  reversed  curves, 
in  Berthelet' s  usual  manner.  At  the  outer  corners  of  the  border  are 
large  Italianate  fleurons,  and  the  gold  lines  are  supported  by  others 
in  blind,  running  parallel  to  them.  There  are  the  remains  of  two 
silk  ties. 

1536.  An  historically  interesting  volume  has  just  been  be- 
queathed to  the  British  Museum  by  the  late  Baron  Ferdinand 
Rothschild,  formerly  member  of  Parliament  for  Waddesdon,  who  left 
altogether  a  very  valuable  collection  of  jewels  and  manuscripts  to 
the  British  nation. 

This  volume  is  very  large,  measuring  about  19^  by  13 J ;  it  is  a 
manuscript  translation  in  French  of  the  Decameron  of  Boccaccio,  by 
Laurent  de  Premierfait,  made  from  a  Latin  version  by  Antoine  de 
Aresche,  in  1414.  The  manuscript  itself,  which  is  illuminated,  was 
probably  made  late  in  the  fifteenth  century. 

The  binding  is  in  very  dark  calf,  and  is  tooled  in  gold,  with  a  few 


THOMAS  BEETHELET. 


77 


blind  lines ;  it  was  made  for  Edward  Seymour,  first  Duke  of  Somerset, 
the  Protector,  who  was  beheaded  on  Tower  Hill  in  1552. 

The  duke's  motto,  "  FOY  POYK  DEBVOIR,"  is  contained  within 
an  ornamental  cartouche  in  the  centre  of  each  cover.  The  cartouche 
is  enclosed,  at  some  distance,  in  a  diamond  stamped  with  a  small 
roll  pattern ;  near  each  of  the  outer  sides  of  the  diamond  is  an  orna- 
ment made  of  two  impressions  of  a  cornucopia  stamp.  Along  the 
edges  of  the  boards  is  a  broad  Italianate  arabesque  border ;  the  inner 
angles  of  the  border  are  filled  with  either  the  stamp  of  Plato  or  that 
of  Dido,  already  described,  enclosed  in  arabesques,  and  the  outer 
corners  have  small  fleurons. 

The  volume  has  been  rebacked  and  some  of  the  gold-tooling 
restored.  The  stamps  found  upon  it  are  generally  such  as  were  used 
by  Berthelet  early  in  his  career;  but  as  there  is  no  other  indication 
of  the  date,  it  must  be  remembered  that  my  attribution  of  the  work 
as  having  been  made  about  1536  is  only  conjectural. 

1538.  Berthelet's  "leather"  cui'ves  turned  into  gold  cord  may 
be  clearly  seen  on  the  red  satin  binding  of  a  collection  of  sixteenth- 
century  tracts  bound  probably  about  1538.  This  curious  volume 
is,  as  far  as  can  be  ascertained  at  present,  the  earliest  English  book 
bound  in  satin.  It  is  very  probably  Berthelet's  work,  —  indeed,  it 
may  actually  be  one  referred  to  in  the  Letters  and  Papers  of  Henry 
VIII.,  Vol.  13,  Part  2,  p.  539,  concerning  which  we  are  told  that  the 
king  paid  6s.  8d.  to  "Bartlett  the  king's  printer's  servant  that 
brought  a  book  covered  with  crimosin  saten  embrodered."  It  meas- 
ures 12  by  8  inches,  and  has  been  stupidly  rebacked  with  leather, 
but  is  otherwise  in  good  condition.  There  is  an  arabesque  border 
•  parallel  with  the  edges  of  the  boards,  made  full  at  each  of  the  four 
corners,  and  amplified  across  the  centre  into  a  kind  of  ornamental 
bridge.    Not  only  are  the  curves  and  scrolls  strongly  suggestive  of 


78  THOMAS  BERTHELET. 

Berthelet's  designs,  but  on  the  cream-coloured  edges  of  the  book  are 
the  words,  "REX  IN  AETERNYM  VIVE  NEZ,"  which,  as  has 
already  been  remarked,  may  of  itself  be  taken  as  an  almost  sure 
sign  of  Berthelet's  work.  Many  of  the  scrolls  are  very  similar  to 
those  which  are  used  on  a  velvet  binding  described  under  the  date 
1543,  which  I  think  was  also  bound  by  Berthelet. 

1540  (?).  Jul.  Claud  Iguini  oratio  ad  Hen.  VIII.  MS.  This  is 
bound  in  dark  brown  calf,  and  is  ornamented  very  simply  with  gold- 
tooling  and  blind  lines.  In  the  centre  is  a  well-designed  stamp  of 
the  royal  coat  of  arms,  ensigned  by  a  very  large  crown,  and  encircled 
by  a  garter  with  buckle,  and  bearing  the  motto,  "Honi  soit  qui  mal 
y  pense."  This  design  is  enclosed  between  four  Greek  words, 
HAI02  HANTAS  AAAIENON  EHAPKTOT,  the  signification  of  which  is 
not  clear.  A  simple  rectangular  border  in  gold,  made  up  of  suc- 
cessive impressions  of  one  of  Berthelet's  happily  designed  curves, 
completes  a  design  which,  although  plain,  is  yet  very  charming. 

1540.  There  is  a  fine  specimen  of  one  of  Berthelet's  bindings 
in  white  doeskin  in  the  library  of  Trinity  College,  Oxford.  It 
measures  about  9  by  6  inches,  and  is  a  copy  of  "  Theophylacti 
in  omnes  divi  Pauli  epistolas  enarrationes,  etc.  Basileae,  1540." 
The  sides  are  fully  gilt,  and  ornamented  with  scroll-work  and  royal 
badges.  In  the  centre  is  the  crowned  royal  coat  of  arms  of  Henry 
VIII.,  surrounded  by  four  chief  decorative  points,  bearing,  respec- 
tively, the  royal  initials,  crowned,  and  crowned  badges,  double  rose, 
fleur-de-lys,  and  portcullis.  Each  of  these  small  designs  is  con- 
tained within  a  framework  of  golden  scrolls,  and  the  remaining 
space  is  rather  closely  filled  with  a  rich  tracery  of  scrolls  and  ara- 
besques symmetrically  arranged.  The  broad  edges  are  cream  col- 
oured, and  on  them  in  large  capitals  are  the  words,  "REX  IN 
ETERNUM  VIVE." 


a;, 
tl 


-coloured  <  'hyQn  nf  ii.^  i  i 
Vf  VT\n  tlie  book  an 

itself       ,  ,       '     ^^'""^^  ^« 

a«  an  almost  sure 
'  are  very  similar  to 

^Yl  ^ir  ^p"  the  date 


WJ/'l 


Pletes  a  design  which,  aW 


^  is  a  fine 


Vi 


EX. 


This  is 
with  gold- 

^flsigneu  ®*amp  of 

with  buckle,  and  I  *''^^"'  encircled 

This  design  is  t    i      ,  "^^^i  soit  qui  mal 

HANTA.  AAAlE^Oi^l'EHXF^;;;;  r^^'^^  <^^ek  words, 

'  1 .f??^AKKA.^fl^ie  ,pct^!^^  «^^-«-^-n  of  which  is 

I'indings 
Oxford.  It 

t'heophylacti 
leae,  1540." 
•>ii-vvork  and  royal 
of  iirms  of  Henry 

)C- 

juoie  rose, 
^8  is  con- 
aing 

'•-^oii^.  ana  ara- 
'  are  cream  col- 
•ro  the  words,  -REX  IN 


liie  - 

by  four 
^         initials,  c 
and  portcullis 


;iinen(t  , 
owned  roj  ,. 
decorative 
and  crowj 
^^ach  of  thes< 


n  a  framework  of  goldei 
"  closely  filled  with  a  rich 
'^ally  ; 

in  i.( 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


79 


1541.  Elyot.  The  Image  of  Governance.  T.  Berthelet,  London, 
1541.  Bound  in  white  deerskin,  and  tooled  in  gold  with  a  few  blind 
lines.  In  the  centre  is  an  irregular  panel  made  up  with  curves  and 
arabesques,  within  which  are  the  words,  «DIEU  ET  MON  DROIT." 
The  panel  is  enclosed  within  an  outer  line  of  cleverly  arranged 
scrolls,  at  the  sides  of  which  are  the  letters  H  R.  An  outer  rec- 
tangular border  of  small  S-shaped  stamps,  with  fleurons  at  the  outer 
corners,  encloses  the  whole,  the  inner  corners  being  filled  with  more 
scroll-work  and  arabesques.  The  ground  is  dotted  with  stamps  of 
a  daisy,  a  small  circle  stamp,  and  a  five-pointed  star. 

A  single  daisy  is  impressed  in  gold  in  the  centre  of  each  of 
the  panels  on  the  back,  and  on  the  white  edges  of  the  book  itself  the 
words,  "REX  IN  ETERNUM  VIVE,"  are  written  in  gold  in  capital 
letters. 

1543.  A  Bible  printed  at  Zurich  in  1543,  bound  in  orange- 
coloured  velvet,  which  was  probably  originally  some  shade  of  crim- 
son, is  embroidered  with  designs  outlined  in  gold  cord.  It  measures 
15  by  9^  inches,  and  has  been  ruinously  rebacked  with  leather.  It 
forms  part  of  the  old  English  Royal  Library  at  the  British  Museum, 
and  belonged  to  King  Henry  VIII. 

The  king's  initials,  tied  together  by  a  knot,  are  in  the  centre, 
within  a  circle,  above  and  below  which  are  symmetrical  curves  of 
like  character  to  those  on  several  of  Berthelet' s  leather  bindings, 
from  which  no  doubt  these  are  taken.  A  broad  rectangular  border 
encloses  the  central  panel,  and  is  ornamented  with  large  double 
Tudor  roses  at  each  corner,  the  rest  of  the  border  space  being  clev- 
erly filled  with  repetitions,  right  and  left,  of  a  simple  fleuron  with 
•leaves. 

The  central  circle,  as  well  as  the  forms  of  the  scrolls  used  in  this 
binding,  are  all  suggestive  of  Berthelet's  methods  of  design;  and  in 


80 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


consideration  of  the  fact  that  he  actually  mentions  velvet  books  in 
his  bill  as  having  been  bound  by  himself  (p.  43),  I  think  that  this 
binding  may  be  claimed  as  his  with  some  degree  of  probability.  If 
the  designs  were  on  leather,  one  or  other  of  Berthelet's  known 
stamps  would  fit  them  all.  Several  of  the  curves  are  very  similar 
to  those  worked  on  the  satin  bindings  of  1536,  already  described. 
The  edges  of  the  leaves  are  elaborately  painted  in  colour,  the  ground- 
work being  creamy  white ;  on  the  upper  edge  at  the  top  is  a  winged 
cherub,  in  the  centre  is  a  large  gold  fleur-de-lys  on  a  blue  ground, 
enclosed  in  a  red  eight-pointed  framework,  and  beneath  this  is  a 
square  panel  in  which  is  a  flying  dove;  the  remainder  of  the  space 
is  filled  with  graceful  arabesques,  with  figures  and  fleurons  in  gold 
and  colour.  The  front  edge  is  not  in  good  condition,  as  it  naturally 
has  been  more  affected  by  use,  and  some  of  the  painting  is  oblit- 
erated. It  is  ornamented  with  five  principal  designs,  all  of  which 
are  connected  by  an  ornamental  framework,  —  scrolls,  flowers,  and 
arabesques  in  gold  and  colour.  The  five  designs,  beginning  at 
the  top,  are :  a  small  rectangular  cartouche  with  a  figure  of  God  the 
Father ;  the  royal  coat  of  arms,  crowned,  within  a  laurel  wreath  tied 
with  white  ribbon;  a  broad  oblong  of  dark  colour,  on  which  was 
most  probably  the  word  "BIBLIA"  in  gold;  a  large  red  rose  with 
white  centre  within  a  circle;  and  a  small  rectangular  panel,  the 
design  upon  which  has  been  worn  off.  The  lower  edge,  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  book,  has  nearest  the  back  a  satyr  upholding  scrolls,  in 
the  middle  a  circle,  the  design  upon  which  has  been  obliterated  by 
wear,  and  near  the  front  edge  an  arabesque  pattern. 

This  is  the  most  highly  decorative  book  edge  which  exists  on 
any  English  book  of  the  early  sixteenth  century,  and  when  it  was 
first  done  must  have  attracted  much  attention  and  admiration,  as  it 
is  excellently  painted.    There  is  hand-painting  in  colour  inside  the 


THOMAS  BEKTHELET. 


81 


book,  especially  on  the  title-page,  and  it  is  very  probable  that  the 
same  artist  executed  all  this  work,  both  inside  and  outside,  as  there 
is  a  great  similarity  of  style. 

1546.  In  Trogum  Pompeivm  sive  Ivstinvm  chorographica  ad 
excellentiss.  Dominum  D.  Edwardvm  Principem,  etc.,  1546.  A 
manuscript  list  of  countries  and  cities  mentioned  in  Trogus  Pompeius 
and  in  the  Epistles  of  Cicero,  addressed  to  Prince  Edward  by  Petrus 
Olivarius. 

Bound  in  brown  calf,  rather  lighter  than  usual,  measuring  10^ 
by  7i  inches,  and  bearing  in  the  centre  the  badge  of  three  ostrich 
feathers  within  a  prince's  coronet,  with  a  label  bearing  the  words, 
"IHC  DIEN,"  and  flanked  by  the  initials  E  P. 

Prince  Edward  never  was  Prince  of  Wales,  a  title  which  is  con- 
ferred on  the  eldest  son  only  at  the  pleasure  of  the  sovereign.  The 
triple-feather  badge,  which  certainly  has  been  associated  with  this 
title  ever  since  Edward  VI.,  and  has  been  used  as  a  special  badge 
by  all  the  Princes  of  Wales  since  his  time,  is,  however,  originally  not 
connected  especially  with  Wales  or  with  any  particular  son  of  the 
sovereign.  It  was  first  used  by  the  descendants  of  Edward  III.,  and 
appears  to  have  been  considered  a  family  badge,  borne  by  them 
because  of  their  ancestress.  Queen  Philippa  of  Hainault.  The  feathers 
were  the  cognizance  of  the  Province  of  Ostrevant,  an  appanage  of 
the  eldest  sons  of  the  House  of  Hainault.  The  motto,  "IHC  DIEN," 
seems  really  to  have  been  used  by  the  Blind  King  of  Bohemia,  who 
was  killed  at  Crecy,  and  the  Black  Prince  adopted  it  as  his  own; 
the  two  have  been  inseparable  ever  since. 

On  this  binding  the  ostrich  plume  and  its  belongings  are  enclosed 
,  within  a  circle  of  flames,  alternately  straight  and  wavy ;  the  circle  is 
within  an  oval  cleverly  marked  by  a  succession  of  curved  arabesques, 
in  the  designing  of  which  Berthelet  was  very  skilled,  several  of  them 


82 


THOMAS  BEKTHELET. 


being  capable  of  effective  and  even  surprising  combinations.  They 
have  something  of  the  quality  so  valued  by  designers  of  wall-papers, 
and  fit  each  other  in  a  very  remarkable  way.  The  ground  is  orna- 
mentally dotted  with  roses,  stars,  and  a  diamond-shaped  floral  orna- 
ment. The  arabesque  oval  has  a  handsome  symmetrical  fleuron  at 
the  top  and  bottom,  and  is  enclosed  within  a  rectangular  border  of 
rather  elaborate  design.  First  is  a  gold  line  with  ornamental  corners ; 
within  it  is  another  gold  line,  the  intermediate  space  being  dotted 
with  small  arabesques,  single  roses,  and  five-pointed  stars ;  then  comes 
a  richly  designed  Italianate  fillet  with  roses  at  each  outer  corner,  and 
an  outer  line  with  fleurons  at  each  of  the  outer  corners.  The  book 
is  divided  into  four  panels.  As  is  usual  on  all  Berthelet's  bindings 
in  calf,  there  are  a  few  blind  lines  as  well. 

1544.  A  Commentary  in  Latin  on  the  Campaign  of  the  Emperor 
Charles  V.  against  the  French  in  1544,  addressed  by  Antonius 
de  Musica  to  Henry  VIII. ;  in  manuscript ;  measures  12^  by  8^ 
inches. 

It  is  bound  in  deep  brown  calf,  and  tooled  in  gold  with  some 
lines  in  blind.  In  the  centre,  within  an  upright  panel  of  gold  and 
blind  lines  with  small  fleurs-de-lys  at  the  corners,  is  the  royal 
coat  of  arms  of  Henry  VIII.,  cleverly  outlined  with  reversed  curves, 
crowned,  and  flanked  with  the  letters  H  R,  repeated  twice.  Directly 
above  and  below  the  central  panel  are  two  broad  rectangular  car- 
touches made  in  gold  lines,  and  small  arabesques  with  ''anvil" 
handles.  In  each  of  these  cartouches  is  a  legend ;  those  on  the  upper 
cover  contain  the  words,  "VERO  DEFENSORI  FIDEI  |  ERRO- 
RVMQVE  PROFLIGATORI  OPTIMO";  those  on  the  lower  cover, 
"MAXIMO  HENRICO  OCTAVO  |  REGI  ANGLORVM  FRANC. 
HIBERNIEQVE,  P.  M.  P.  P.  D.  G."  No  one  has  yet  elucidated  the 
signification  of  these  last  letters.    The  centre  panel  is  flanked  on 


.1//  >IT/..1'1 


.M  !  '  I- /.  I.  .1 -Ml  111  i/A'i< \:>i/.  iLi.1,1),   M  ■•  -lo  ,i;i]ii;..ij  miiiv/ 

.[in/.T/;ii/:!/'(>'t  r^.MT  I/,  r/ox  /  i  i/^/  iu  ^'ri:-iv  rr  i/:A'r 

y:(/  1/  >:  \A  )M  Md/ 


S  BKRTHELET. 

le  of  ^         o        even  surprising  combinations.  They 
'     t.  so  vn]ned  by  designers  of  wall-papers, 

^-w.    The  ground  is  orna- 
lond-shaped  floral  orna- 
sym metrical  fleuron  at 
in  a  ro  '  ^  miliar  border  of 
'inewith         icntal  corners; 
die  spat-e  being  dotted 
-pointed  stars ;  then  comes 
<--s  at  each  outer  corner,  and 
^le  outer  comers.    The  book 
I  on  all  Berthelet's  bindings 

PI.ATK  XM. 

WIIITK  LHATIIKl!  HLXDIX,;   ,       ..|.  AIKK,.,,  ^  i  < ,  I  s  n  X  I'lll?}'?^  iP^H^^l^^^^^^ 
TA.M    IN'   VK'ITS  (,)CA.M    ,X    s<AVM  TFST.  (  <  >>I\I  KyfA^f^tV   by  AutOUiuS 
I5AS..  l.-,l,>.'-    MADK  FoH  QI  KKK  MAI!V  ^  bv  8^^ 

'  •^  in  gold  with  some 
panel  of  gold  and 
is  the  royal 
With  reversed  curves, 
'1  twice.  Directly 
l  oad  rectangular  car- 
with  "anvil" 
•n  the  upper 
l  iUEl  i  EURO- 
^     '  cover, 
■  KANC. 
ticidated  the 
i  is  flanked  on 


» 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


83 


one  side  by  two  impressions  of  a  portrait  stamp  of  Plato,  and  on 
the  other  two  of  Dido,  the  remaining  spaces  being  sparsely  filled 
with  leaf  stamps.  An  outer  border  of  Italian  design,  with  fleurons  at 
each  outer  corner,  encloses  the  whole.  "  The  small  medallion  stamps 
containing  portraits  of 
Dido  and  Plato,  which 
are  found  on  this  vol- 
ume, were  often  used 
by  Berthelet  as  the 
chief  ornamentation  on 
small  books  bound  by 
him.  They  usually 
occur  singly  as  a  centre 
ornament  within  a  gold 
line  panel,  with  small 
fleurons  at  the  outer 
corners. 

1547.  Xenophon. 
La  Cyropedie.  Paris, 
1547. 

Bound  in  rich 
brown  calf,  and  orna- 
mented with  gold-tool- 
ing, black  fillets,  and 
some  blind  lines.  In 

the  centre  is  the  royal  coat  of  arms  of  Edward  VI.,  very  effectively 
outlined  with  arabesques,  crowned,  and  flanked  by  the  letters  E  R. 
Above  and  below  the  coat  is  a  double  rose  and  two  five-pointed  stars. 

The  royal  shield  is  contained  within  two  interlaced  fillets,  out- 
lined in  gold  and  stained  black;  the  inner  is  in  the  shape  of  an 


84 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


upright  diamond;  the  outer  is  turned  and  curved  upon  itself  so  as 
to  make  a  double  border.  The  spaces  left  between  these  various 
curves  and  lines  are  filled  with  gold  ornaments,  the  most  noticeable 
of  which  is  a  large  stamp  of  a  cornucopia.  The  other  small  stamps 
are  arabesques  and  five-pointed  stars.  The  outer  corners  are  marked 
by  a  gilt  fleuron,  and  on  the  front  edge  of  each  board  are  the  remains 
of  two  ties.  The  back  probably  had  double  roses  stamped  in  gold 
between  each  of  the  bands,  but  the  book,  which  is,  with  this  excep- 
tion, in  excellent  condition,  has  recently  been  restored  here  with 
new  stamps  cut  after  the  old  pattern. 

1547  (?).  In  the  Advocates'  Library  at  Edinburgh  is  a  fine 
specimen  of  Berthelet's  work  in  binding.  It  was  bound  for  Edward 
VI.  in  calf,  and  bears  in  the  centre  his  coat  of  arms  flanked  by  the 
initials  E  R,  and  above  and  below  the  coat,  on  each  side,  is  a  long 
rectangular  panel  with  a  kind  of  handle  at  each  end,  like  those  found 
afterwards  on  the  horn-books.  The  legends  on  the  panels  read,  on 
the  upper  cover,  "An  idle  or  deceitful  hande  maketh  pore  |  But  a 
diligent  Labourynge  hand  maketh  ryche.  Proverb.  10";  and  on  the 
undercover,  "No  man  lyghteth  a  candle  and  putteth  it  |  in  a  privie 
place  —  neither  under  a  bushell.  Luke  II."  In  the  panels  of  the 
back  are,  alternately,  a  small  upright  lion  and  a  fleur-de-lys. 

1548.  Among  the  books  bound  by  Berthelet  for  King  Edward 
VI.  is  a  small  copy  of  Ptolemy's  Geograjia,  printed  at  Venice  in 
1548.  It  is  simply  bound  in  calf,  with  a  plain  gilt  line  along  the 
edges  of  the  boards,  and  the  words,  "Omnis  potestas  a  Deo,"  in  a 
cartouche  in  the  middle  of  the  side.  As  far  as  the  binding  goes,  this 
volume  is  one  of  Berthelet's  simplest,  and  I  should  not,  for  that 
reason,  have  noticed  it  here;  but  the  book  is  remarkable  because  of 
the  way  he  has  painted  the  edges.  These  are  pale  blue,  and  are 
ornamented  with  heraldic  designs  on  shields.    On  the  upper  edge  is 


84 


THELET. 


d  and  curved  upon  itself  so  as 
'ces  left  between  these  various 
ornaments,  the  most  noticeable 
•opia.    The  other  small  stamps 
Tlie  outer  corners  are  marked 
f  each  board  are  the  remains 
:ble  i-oses  stamped  in  gold 
K  which  is,  with  this  excep- 
'  V  restored  here  with 

Libraiy  at  Edinburgh  is  a  fine 
iiding.    It  was  bound  for  Edward 
0  his  coat  of  arms  flanked  by  the 
l^i^ATK  xvir..       the  coat,  on  each  side,  is  a  long 
OF  <in,Kx  AfAKY  s      vi^i^' A( ,/iK'^'^dle^a^^each        like  those  found 
'  <)rKKx.  The  legends  on  the  panels  read,  on 

;!  haiid^"i4i«th  pore  |  But  a 
Proverb.  10";  and  on  the 
and  putteth  it  |  in  a  privie 
Luke  II/'    In  the  panels  of  the 
rht  lion  and  a  fleur-de-lys. 
id  by  Berthelet  for  King  Edward 
afia,  printed  at  Venice  in 
with  a  plain  gilt  liiie  along  the 
'^ords,  "Omnis  potestas  a  Deo,"  in  a 
Vs  far  as  the  binding  goes,  this 
-eat,  and  I  should  not,  for  that 
-  ueie,    u(  the  book  is  remarkable  because  of 
^  '  '       are  pale  blue,  and  are 

io.    On  the  upper  edge  is 


cur 
of  • 


THOMAS  BERTHELET.  85 

the  coat  of  arms  of  France,  on  the  front  edge  that  of  England,  and 
on  the  lower  that  of  Ireland.  These  shields  are  flanked  by  the 
initials  of  the  king,  and  the  rest  of  the  space  is  filled  with  a  very 
prettily  arranged  interlaced  strap-work  in  black,  in  and  out  of  which 
wind  delicate,  graceful  curves  and  flowers  painted  in  gold. 


1548.  Bude.  Commentarii  linguae  Graecae,  etc.  Parisiis, 
1548.    13|  by  9. 

Bound  in  brown  calf,  and  ornamented  with  gold-tooling  and 
some  blind  lines.  In  the  centre  the  royal  coat  of  arms  of  Edward 
VI.,  crowned,  is  flanked  by  the  letters  E  R,  above  and  below  each 
of  which  is  a  small  five-petalled  flower.  The  coat  is  enclosed 
between  two  interlaced  squares,  outlined  in  gold  and  stained  black. 
At  each  of  the  four  corners  of  the  horizontal  square  is  a  floral 
arabesque  in  gold,  with  a  spray  of  pear. 

The  centre  design  is  enclosed  at  a  considerable  distance  by  a 


86 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


broad  black  fillet,  outlined  in  gold,  parallel  to  the  edges  of  the  board, 
mitred  in  gold  at  the  corners,  and  decorated  alternately  at  short 
intervals  along  its  length  with  scrolls  and  small  five-petalled  flowers 
stamped  in  gold.    The  inner  angles  of  the  fillet  are  marked  by  a 


gold  double  rose,  and  the  outer  angles  by  an  elaborate  fleuron  in 
outline. 

1550.  Andreasius.  De  amplitudine  misericordiae  Dei,  etc. 
Basileae,  1550;  measures  6  by  4  inches.  It  is  bound  in  rich 
brown  calf,  the  royal  coat  of  arms  of  Edward  VI.  being  placed  in 
the  centre,  flanked  by  the  letters  E  R.     Parallel  with  the  edges  of 


THOMAS  BEKTHELET. 


87 


the  boards  are  lines  in  gold  and  blind,  with  small  fleurs-de-lys  in 
gold  at  the  four  inner  corners  and  arabesque  fleurons  at  the  outer 
corners.  Although  this  little  book  is  very  simple,  it  is  nevertheless 
very  charming,  the  beautiful  brown  colour  of  the  calf  being  well 
brought  out  by  the  bright  gold  lines  and  the  dark  blind  lines. 

1552.  Bembo.  Historiae  Yenetae.  Lib.  XII.  Venetiis,  1551 ; 
measures  12  by  9  inches.  It  is  bound  in  brown  calf,  and  orna- 
mented with  gold-tooling,  blind  lines,  and  black  fillets.  In  the 
centre  is  the  royal  coat  of  arms  of  Edward  YI.,  to  whom  the  book 
belonged,  enclosed  in  a  very  cleverly  interwoven  fillet  outlined  in 
gold  and  stained  black.  This  fillet  is  so  arranged  in  straight  and 
curved  pieces  as  to  give  the  general  effect  of  being  arranged  in  eight 
circles  and  eight  semicircles.  The  coat  of  arms,  ensigned  with  the 
royal  crown,  is  outlined  by  arabesques  and  surrounded  by  ten  small 
stars,  six  of  which  are  within  a  single  curved-line  border  having 
fleurons  and  daisies  at  its  four  extremities,  and  four  without  it, 
beyond  which  comes  the  inner  broken  line  of  the  fillet,  spreading  out 
at  the  top  into  a  large  circle,  within  which  are  the  words,  "DIEY 
ET  MON  DROYT,"  and  below  into  another  circle,  also  large,  bear- 
ing the  date  MDLIL  Flanking  the  coat  of  arms  are  two  small 
circles,  within  which  are  the  crowned  initials  E  R.  The  fillet  now 
takes  a  rectangular  form,  and  extends  upwards  and  downwards  from 
these  small  circles,  while  the  irregular  corner  spaces  left  between 
this  rectangle  and  the  outer  edges  of  the  inner  line  of  the  fillet  are 
each  ornamented  with  one  handsome  reversed  arabesque,  with  fleu- 
ron,  two  stars,  and  a  double  daisy.  Four  large  circles  of  equal  size 
to  that  enclosing  the  royal  motto  are  arranged  over  the  right-angled 
corners  of  the  mitred  parallelogram  which  is  part  of  the  fillet,  and 
the  spaces  within  these  circles  are  each  filled  with  an  ornament 
made  up  of  a  graceful  reversed  arabesque,  with  a  fleuron  and  three 


88 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


small  flowers.  Where  the  fillet  becomes  the  outer  border  of  the 
design  it  is  rectangular  in  form,  broken  by  semicircular  indentations 
in  the  centre  of  each  of  the  four  sides;  in  these  hollows  are  ara- 
besques and  double  daisies.  The  remaining  spaces  just  within 
the  outer  border  are  filled,  top  and  bottom,  with  short  lines  of  the 
cornucopia  stamp,  with  double  daisies  and  stars,  and  at  each  side  by 
an  impression  of  a  handsome  arabesque  curve  with  one  small  flower. 
At  each  of  the  outer  corners  is  a  double  daisy.  As  a  book  this  is 
a  curious  specimen,  the  back  being  arranged  and  gilded  so  as  to 
resemble  the  front,  and  unless  the  volume  is  carefully  examined 
it  appears  to  have  no  back  at  all.  This  is  the  earliest  instance  of 
this  peculiarity  known  to  me,  but  I  have  met  with  a  few  similar 
cases  of  later  date  and  in  Italian  work.  It  has  nothing  to  recom- 
mend it,  and  is  useless  and  ugly  as  well  as  being  constructively 
vicious.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  Berthelet  here  reverts,  per- 
haps unknowingly,  to  the  old  English  appreciation  of  the  decorative 
use  of  the  circle.  This  is  probably,  in  all  details,  the  finest  binding 
he  ever  made. 

1552.  Joannes  a  Lasco.  Brevis  de  Sacramentis  Ecclesiae  Christi 
Tractatio,  etc.  London,  1552;  measures  5J  by  3J  inches,  and  is 
bound  in  cream-coloured  deer  or  doe  skin  and  tooled  in  gold.  There 
are  two  holes  for  tie-ribbons  near  the  front  edge  of  each  board. 

The  decoration  consists  of  a  central  rectangular  panel  closely 
filled  with  solid  arabesques  symmetrically  arranged.  The  panel  is 
enclosed  in  a  double  border,  the  inner  division  of  which  has  an 
arabesque  filling  and  small  fleurons  at  each  angle ;  the  outer  is  orna- 
mented with  repetitions  of  a  circular  stamp  intersected  by  arabesque 
forms  of  a  pattern  very  commonly  found  on  Berthelet' s  work,  and 
closely  copied  from  an  Italian  original;  at  each  of  the  angles  is  a 
large  fleuron.    The  narrow  space  between  the  edge  of  the  boards  and 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


89 


the  outer  border  is  ornamented  with  scattered  impressions  of  a  small 
crescent  and  a  diamond. 

Each  of  the  panels  of  the  back  contains  a  single  impression 
from  a  small  four-petalled  flower  stamp.  The  edges  of  the  leaves 
are  gilded,  and  upon  them  is  a  wavy  spray  of  vine,  with  leaves  and 
grape  clusters,  impressed  by  means  of  a  small  ring  stamp. 


•THE-KYNG  ES 
REVENVES- 


1552.  The  King's  Revenues.  The  original  certificate  of  the 
state  of  the  revenues  of  King  Edward  VI.,  drawn  up  on  the  10th 
of  Deer.  1552,  by  Thomas  Lord  Darcy,  Thomas  (Thirlby),  Bishop  of 
Norwich,  Sir  Richard  Cotton,  Sir  John  Gate,  Sir  Robert  Bowes,  and 
Sir  Walter  Mildmay,  His  Majesty's  Commissioners.  With  their 
.signatures  appended.    MS.  on  vellum,  measuring  15|  by  11  inches. 

Bound  in  brown  caK,  tooled  in  blind  and  gold.  In  the  centre  is 
the  royal  coat  of  arms  of  England  flanked  by  the  letters  E  R,  and 
crowned.    The  outline  of  the  shield  is  skilfully  made  by  impressions 


90 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


from  the  pair  of  arabesque  stamps  used  in  the  ornamentation  of 
the  two  decorative  rectangular  cartouches  above  and  below  it.  On  the 
upper  of  these  small  panels  are  lettered  the  words,  "THE  KYNGES 
REYENVES,"  and  on  the  lower,  "Anno  quinto  Regis  Edwardi  Sexti"; 
and  they  are  further  adorned  with  "solid"  stamps  in  gold  of  an 
Italian  character.  The  border  has  a  handsome  gilt-tooled  design 
enclosed  within  eight  lines  in  blind;  the  pattern  of  the  gilt  part  is 
taken  from  an  Italian  model.  There  are  gilt  fleurons  at  the  outer 
and  inner  corners  of  the  panel. 

1553.  Strena  Galteri  Deloeni,  ex  Capite  Geneseos  quarto 
deprompta,  etc.  MS.  Dedicated  to  Edward  VI.,  and  measuring  5| 
by  4  inches. 

Bound  in  cream-coloured  deerskin  and  tooled  in  blind  and  gilt. 
In  the  centre  is  the  royal  coat  of  arms  flanked  by  the  initials  E  R, 
and  surmounted  by  a  double  rose,  above  which  is  a  royal  crown. 
Just  below  the  coat  of  arms  is  another  stamp  of  the  double  rose. 
Above  and  below  each  of  the  initial  letters  is  a  very  graceful  stamp 
of  a  cornucopia.  The  upper  part  of  the  panel  is  filled  with  stamps 
of  two  arabesque  scrolls,  two  double  roses,  and  a  daisy;  the  lower 
part  has  two  double  roses,  and  a  daisy  with  stalk  and  two  leaves. 
The  inner  corners  of  the  panel  are  marked  with  long  stems,  at  the 
end  of  each  of  which  is  a  small  fleuron,  and  the  remaining  spaces 
are  dotted  freely  with  a  small  six-rayed  star.  All  these  stamps  are 
found  constantly  on  Berthelet's  bindings. 

This  is  the  only  book  bound  in  white  deerskin  for  Edward  VI. 
at  present  known. 

1553.  D.  Aurelii  Augustini  Hipponensis  episcopi,  tam  in  vetus 
quam  in  nouum  Testamentum  Commentarij,  etc.    Basileae,  1542. 

Bound  in  white  deerskin  for  Queen  Mary,  and  measuring  12J  by 
8  inches.    The  coat  of  arms  on  this  volume  is  put  in  a  very  unusual 


» 


T.  <  BERTH ELET 

the  pair  uf  aj  uised  in  Uie  uiiiaiiientation  of 

iiu  Ltu  iuuches  above  and  below  it.    On  the 
s  are  lettered  the  words,  '  THE  KYNGES 
Mwer,  "Anno  quinto  Br--:'  ^^dwardi  Sexti"; 
'T>ed  with  "solid"  ^u.  .  ,  .s  in  gold  of  an 
i  lit    'UiVier  has  a  handsome  gilt-tooled  design 
^  '  ^Hos  in  blind;  the  pattern  of  the  gilt  part  is 
,   lui.    Therp  ;>!•-•        f^M!r  n->>       1'  ■  outer 
I  the  panel. 

iia  Galteri  Deloeni,  ex  Capita  Gt-  ^iiarto 
etc     MS.    Dedicated  to  Edward  Vl.,  and  measuring  5| 

in  ci*eam-«oloured  deerskin  and  tooled  in  blind  and  gilt. 
In  the  centre  is  the  royal  coA'fAf  lirM%nked  by  the  initials  E  R, 
and  (i^i'i^*'; !BJi>M(v4  -  HJ*i(T<(pftil!):l«^nt\ir.M  owe'A^vihk3liAi-3na.ii'ayaii  «irDswn. 
Jr.  the  r  ^•*''1-'^(V^is-''r?^'*iy'Wi^  the  double  rose. 

A1m»v<»  h  I  he  initial  letters  is  a  very  graceful  stamp 

t.    The  up]>er  part  of  the  panel  is  filled  with  stamps 
;<f  tv  double  roses,  and  a  daisy;  the  lower 

<  two  double  ros^s,  i         daisy  with  stalk  and  two  leaves. 

-  of  the  panel  are  marked  with  long  stems,  at  the 
end  ii  ot  which  is  a  siiuill  fleuron,  and  the  remaining  spaces 

with  a  small  six-rayed  star.    All  these  stamps  are 
•iy  on  Berthelet's  bindings. 

book  bound  in  white  <         u  for  Eiiward  VI. 

Aureiii  Augusuni  ii  i,  lam  in  vetus 

11  TevStamentum  (  sileae,  1542. 

ite  deerskin  for  Q  auu  measuring  12^  by 

it  of  arms  on  this  v  uiuuic  is  put  in  a  very  unusual 


.  .  •  .  .. 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


91 


place.  It  is  near  the  top  of  the  design,  the  centre  ornament  being 
merely  an  arabesque.  The  boards  have  an  irregular  rectangular 
double-lined  panel  with  right-angled  projections  at  each  side,  outlined 
in  gold ;  within  these  lines  are  small  fleurons  at  the  angles,  and  small 
scrolls,  fleurs-de-lys,  and  rosettes.  Between  the  centre  and  the  inner 
edge  of  the  plain  panel  is  a  double-lined  diamond,  edged  with  curves 
and  scrolls,  the  corners  ornamented  with  fleurons.  Between  the 
outer  edge  of  the  panel  and  the  edge  of  the  book  are  curves  and 
Tudor  badges,  each  held  up  either  by  a  curved  or  a  straight  stalk, 
the  royal  coat  of  arms  forming  the  chief  ornament  at  the  top,  and 
two  double  roses  at  the  bottom.  The  corners  are  closely  and  cleverly 
filled  with  a  few  curves  reversed  again  and  again.  The  original 
book  is  in  a  perfectly  sound  state,  but  the  gilding  upon  it  became 
rubbed,  and  many  years  ago  it  fell  into  the  hands  of  an  unscrupulous 
restorer,  who  regilded  it  all  over  with  stamps  cut  to  some  extent  like 
the  old  ones,  but  not  exactly.  The  impressions  of  the  old  stamps 
still  remain  quite  sufficiently  to  be  recognized,  and  I  have  made  a 
drawing  of  this  binding,  which  shows  the  original  form  of  its  decora- 
tion. It  is  one  of  the  latest  bindings  made  by  Berthelet,  and  in 
some  ways  it  must  have  been  one  of  his  finest. 

However  much  it  may  be  considered  advisable  or  necessary  to 
replace  old  leather  on  bindings  by  new,  it  is  quite  certain  that  no 
state  of  decay  can  under  any  circumstances  justify  the  regilding  or 
restamping  of  any  gold-tooled  work.  This  unfortunately  has  been 
a  favourite  proceeding  with  many  binders,  with  disastrous  effects, 
and  it  cannot  be  too  strongly  condemned  from  every  point  of  view. 

1553  (?).  A  manuscript  poem  of  controversy  against  the  Reform- 
ers is  addressed  to  Queen  Mary  by  Myles  Haggard;  bound  in  calf, 
and  tooled  in  gold  and  blind,  by  Berthelet.  It  measures  about  9  by 
6  inches,  and  has  the  remains  of  green  silk  ties  on  the  front  edges  of 


92 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


the  boards.  In  the  centre  is  the  royal  coat  of  arms,  crowned,  and 
flanked  by  two  scrolls,  all  contained  within  a  circle  stained  black 
and  outlined  with  gold  lines,  the  outer  edge  being  ornamented  with 
a  series  of  impressions  of  a  small  flame-shaped  stamp  on  a  narrow, 
slightly  curved  foot.  The  initials  of  Queen  Mary,  M  R,  are  shown 
«  twice,  arranged 

squarely,  just  be- 
yond the  flamed 
circle. 

There  is  a  gold 
line,  with  blind, 
parallel  and  near 
to  the  edges  of  the 
boards,  and  at  the 
outer  angles  of  this 
rectangle  are  ara- 
besque fleurons.  In 
the  panels  of  the 
back  are  single  im- 
pressions of  small 
roses. 

1554  (?).  Horae 
Beatae  Mariae  Yir- 
ginis,  etc.,  or  Queen  Mary's  Prayer-Book,  written  on  vellum  and 
beautifully  illuminated  in  colours,  is  bound  in  deep  brown  calf, 
delicately  ornamented  with  gold  and  blind  tooling,  and  measures  8J 
by  5J  inches. 

In  the  centre  is  a  small  royal  coat  of  arms  with  a  specially  cut 
border,  en  signed  with  a  large  royal  crown  and  flanked  by  the  initials 
MR.     A  broad  rectangular  fillet  of  gold  and  blind  lines  runs 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


93 


parallel  with  the  edges  of  the  boards,  the  gold  being  the  inner  of 
all,  and  mitred  at  the  corners.  This  fillet  marked  by  gold  lines  is 
ornamented  along  its  length  by  impressions  of  a  small  arabesque 
cluster  and  a  rosette,  and  at  each  of  "the  outer  corners  is  a  large 
fleuron. 

This  binding  is  one  of  the  most  finely  executed  of  any  that  can 
without  doubt  be  attributed  to  Berthelet.  The  stamps  used  upon  it 
are  original  in  design,  and  although  the  Italian  feeling  is  still  evident, 
it  is  not  so  marked  as  in  many  other  instances.  The  curious  plan 
of  adorning  a  fillet  with  impressions  of  small  detached  stamps  is, 
I  think,  originally  an  Italian  idea,  but  it  is  found  more  fre- 
quently on  Berthelet' s  bindings  than  it  is  on  those  of  any  other 
master.  Sometimes  it  occurs  on  fillets  which  are  stained  black,  in 
which  case  a  little  bare  place  is  left  for  the  gold  impression, — it  is 
not  gilded  over  the  stain.  Sometimes,  as  on  this  book,  the  fillet  is 
left  uncoloured.  The  unknown  binder  who  worked  for  James  I.  and 
his  sons  used  dots  on  fillets,  but  never  stained  them;  and  Samuel 
Mearne,  royal  binder  to  Charles  II.,  revived  the  plan  of  gilding  on 
a  black  fillet,  but  he  did  not  carry  it  out  to  such  an  elaborate  extent 
as  did  Berthelet,  only  using  dots  or  dotted  lines. 

1554.  Expositio  Beati  Ambrosii  episcopi  super  apocalypsin. 
Lutetiae,  1554;  measures  9^  by  6|  inches,  and  is  bound  by  Berthelet 
in  dark  brown  caK,  tooled  in  gold,  with  a  few  blind  lines.  In  the 
centre  is  an  ornamental  cartouche  enclosed  within  a  rectangular 
border,  and  bearing  the  royal  coat  of  arms  of  Queen  Mary,  crowned, 
and  flanked  by  two  scrolls;  this  is  enclosed  by  a  circle  of  wavy 
flames,  and  again  by  an  outer  irregularly  shaped  border  of  curves, 
straight  lines,  and  arabesques.  The  space  between  the  flamed 
circle  and  the  outer  arabesque  line  is  filled  with  a  powdering  of  small 
circular  stamps. 


94 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


The  rectangular  outer  border  is  composed  of  straight  lines  in 
gold  and  blind,  with  centre  fillet  of  an  ornamental  circular  stamp 
crossed  with  arabesques  of  Italian  character.  The  inner  corners 
of  the  rectangle  are  filled  with  a  trefoil  stamp  and  the  outer  corners 
with  an  ornamental  fleuron.  There  are  the  remains  of  two  green 
silk  ties  on  the  front  edge  of  each  of  the  boards.  The  book  is  not 
in  a  good  condition,  the  back  having  been  entirely  spoiled  and  tooled 
with  recent  stamps. 

1555.  Epitome  omnium  operum  divi  Aurelii  Augustini,  etc. 
Coloniae,  1549;  measures  12|  by  8|  inches,  and  is  bound  in  brown 
calf,  tooled  in  gold,  with  some  blind  lines.  In  the  centre  is  the  royal 
coat  of  arms  of  Queen  Mary,  crowned,  and  flanked  by  two  arabesque 
curves,  contained  within  a  circle  stained  black,  with  waved  rays 
of  gold  issuing  outwards.  The  coat  is  enclosed  by  a  long  upright 
rectangular  fillet  stained  black,  interlaced  by  another  in  diamond 
shape  of  similar  width,  also  stained  black.  The  spaces  within  these 
two  fillets  are  filled  with  gold  curves  and  arabesques,  except  the 
two  small  triangles  flanking  the  centre,  which  have  the  initials  M  R. 

The  black  fillets  are  enclosed  by  a  double  border ;  the  inner  one, 
broken  in  four  places  by  the  points  of  the  diamond,  is  thickly  orna- 
mented with  corner  fleurons  and  arabesque  scrolls,  the  outer  closely 
filled  with  a  handsome  arabesque  made  with  two  reversed  curves. 
Outside  all  is  another  black  rectangular  fillet,  with  fleurons  at  the 
outer  corners. 

This  is  one  of  the  finest  calf  bindings  Berthelet  made  for  Queen 
Mary,  and  it  is  wonderfully  well  preserved,  the  leather  being  only  a 
little  discoloured  and  the  gold  bright  and  clear.  The  black  on  the 
fillets  is  also  in  good  condition. 

1555.  Bonner.  A  profitable  and  necessarye  doctrine.  London 
(1555) ;  is  bound  in  pale  brown  calf  for  Queen  Mary,  and  tooled  in 


THOMAS  BERTHELET. 


95 


gold,  without  any  black  in  the  fillets.  In  the  centre  is  the  royal 
coat  of  arms  flanked  by  two  scrolls  and  enclosed  within  a  flanked 
circle.  This  circle  is  contained  in  a  diamond-shaped  fillet,  with 
leaf  stamps  in  the  upper  and  lower  corners,  beyond  which  is  a  rec- 
tangular border  of  Italian  fashion,  made  by  small  circles  intersected 
by  arabesques,  —  a  favourite  pattern  of  Berthelet's,  and  very  effect- 
ive. The  four  inner  corners  of  the  parallelogram  are  filled  with 
arabesque  ornaments,  and  the  outer  corners  have  small  fleurons. 
All  the  stamps  are  well  known. 


\ 


INDEX. 


INDEX. 


Abingtone,  John,  bequest  to,  from  T.  Berthelet  .       .       .       .  .53 

Advocates'  Library  at  Edinburgh,  binding  by  T.  Berthelet  at  the  ....  84 

Ambrosius.    "  Expositio  super  Apocalypsin.    1554."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet  .       .  93 

Andreasius.    "  De  amplitudine  misericordiae  Dei.  1550."   Bound  by  T.  Berthelet  86 

Anne  Boleyn,  Queen.    Binding  with  her  coat  of  arms      ......  24 

Arber,  Edward.  His  reprints  of  the  transcripts  of  the  Stationers  Company  .  .  31 
Aurehus  Augustiuus.    "  Tarn  in  vetus  quam  in  novum  Testamentum  commentarii. 

1542."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet   90 

"Epitome  operum.    1549."    Boimd  by  T.  Berthelet   94 

Back  curiously  designed  on  a  binding  by  T.  Berthelet     ......  88 

Bauduyn,  Piers,  stationer  ...........  15 

Bembo.    "  Historiae  Venetae,  Lib.  XII.   1551."   Bound  by  T.  Berthelet  .       .  87 

Berthelet,  Anthony,  bequests  to,  from  T.  Berthelet     ......  52 

Berthelet,  Edward,  bequests  to,  from  T.  Berthelet  .       .       .       .       .  .52 

Berthelet,  Margaret,  bequests  to,  from  T.  Berthelet            .              .       .       .  52 

Berthelet,  Thomas,  appointment  as  Koyal  Printer  to  Henry  VIII.    .       .       .  .26 

Bill  for  bookbinding  ...........  35 

Books,  etc.,  printed  by   ...........  48 

Colophons  used  by    .       ...       .       .       .       .       .       .       .       .  49 

Device  of  Lucretia  stabbing  herself       ........  49 

Grant  of  coat  of  arms        ..........  33 

Patent  of  appointment  as  Koyal  Printer         .......  32 

Printing  done  by       ...........  33 

Property  in  London      .        ..........  50 

Signature  of      ...........       .  37 

Wm  of   51 

"Bible.    1534."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet   74 

"Bible.    1543."    Bound  in  velvet  by  T.  Berthelet   79 

Bindings  at  the  Eoyal  Irish  Academy,  Dublin           .       .       .       .       .       .  14 

Boccaccio.    "Decameron."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet    76 

Bonner.    "A  Profitable  Doctrine.    1555."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet     ...  94 
Border  with  design  of  boys  in  procession  used  by  T.  Berthelet  in  some  of  his  title- 
pages       .............  49 

99 


100  INDEX. 

FAOI 

Bude.    "  Commentarii  linguae  Graecae.    1548."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet     .       .  85 
Calf  leather  chiefly  used  for  bookbinding  by  T.  Berthelet       .....  64 

Calf,  books  bound  in,  by  T.  Berthelet        .......       68  et  seq. 

Christ's  Hospital,  bequest  to,  from  T.  Berthelet      .       .       .       .       .       .  .52 

Circle  flamed,  used  on  bindings  by  T.  Berthelet .       .       .       .       .       ,       .81,  92 

Coat  of  arms  granted  T.  Berthelet  described         .......  33 

Colophons  used  by  T.  Berthelet        .........  49 

"Commentary  on  the  Campaign  of  Charles  V.,  in  1544."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet  82 
Coronation  book  of  Henry  I.  described      ........  19 

Courteys,  Piers,  Keeper  of  the  King's  Great  Wardrobe    ......  15 

Cowper,  AHce,  bequest  to,  from  T.  Berthelet       .......  52 

Crest  granted  to  T.  Berthelet  described  .       .       .       .       .       .       .       .  .33 

Cumdachs       .............  14 

Davenport,  C.    His  book  on  Eoyal  EngUsh  bookbindings       .       .       .       .  .61 

Deerskin  bindings  by  T.  Berthelet   65,  88,  90 

Deloemus.    "Libellus  de  tribus  hierarchiis."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet      .       .  .68 

"Strena."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet  90 

Dimma's  Book     .............  14 

Duff,  E.  Gordon,  owner  of  a  copy  of  St.  Chrysostom's  works  bound  by  T.  Berthelet  71 
Edward  IV.,  bindings  made  for,  in  Westminster  Abbey  .       .       .       .       .  .13 

Edward  VI.,  books  bound  for,  by  T.  Berthelet     .       .       .       .       .       .       81  et  seq. 

Coat  of  arms  of     ..........       .        83,  86 

Edwards,  James,  the  painted  fore  edges  of  his  books   .       .       .       .       .       .  67 

Elizabeth  of  York,  bindings  made  for     .       .       .       .       .       .       .       .  .15 

Elizabeth,  Princess,  embroidered  bindings  worked  by   .....       .  63 

Elyot.    "The  Image  of  Governance."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet  79 

Embroidered  bindings  of  the  sixteenth  century   .       .  .       .       .       .  62 

English  royal  heraldry         .       .       .       .       .       .       .       .       .       .  .22 

Fletcher,  W.  Y.    His  book  on  bindings  in  the  British  Museum  ....  61 

Fore-edge  decoration  on  books      ..........  66 

Fore-edge  painting  on  books  bound  by  T.  Berthelet    .       .       .       .       .       .     80,  85 

"Foy  pour  Deb  voir"  on  a  binding  made  for  the  Duke  of  Somerset  by  T.  Berthelet  .  77 
George  II.'s  gift  of  the  Old  Royal  Library  of  England  to  the  British  Museum      .  63 
Gold-tooling  in  leather  described   .       .       .       .       .       .       .       .       .  .16 

Grafton,  Richard,  trustee  for  the  children  of  T.  Berthelet    .       .       .       .       .  53 

Griggs,  WilHam.    His  colour  plates  of  bookbindings  .       .       .       .       61,  67 

Grolier,  Jean,  bindiags  with  circles  made  for      .       .       .       .       .       .       .  21 

Haggard.    "Poem.    1553."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet  91 

Henry  VII.,  the  library  and  bindings  made  for  .        ......    24,  62 


INDEX. 


101 


PAGE 

Henry  VIII.    Act  passed  in  1533  to  restrain  foreigners  from  selling  bound  books  in 

England  29 

Books  bound  for,  by  T.  Berthelet      .       .       .       .  .       .       68  et  seq. 

Panel  stamps  bearing  Ms  coat  of  arms    .      • .       .       .       .       .       .  .24 

Signature  of      ............  36 

Heydon  crest  on  a  binding  by  T.  Berthelet    ........  76 

Holmes,  Eichard  E.    His  book  on  the  bindings  in  the  Eoyal  Library  at  Windsor  61 

"  Horae  B.  Mariae  Virginis."    Boimd  by  T.  Berthelet  92 

James  I.    His  visit  to  the  Bodleian  Library  at  Oxford       .  .       .       .  70 

James  V.,  King  of  Scotland,  binding  made  for  .       .       .       .  .57 

"Ihc  Dien"  adopted  as  a  motto  by  the  Black  Prince   .       .  81 

Iguinus.    "Oratio  ad  Hen.  VIIL"    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet  78 

Joannes  a  Lasco.   "Brevis  de  Sacramentis  Ecc.  Christi  Tractatio.   1552."   Bound  by 

T.  Berthelet  88 

Katharine  of  Aragon,  Queen.    Bindings  with  her  coat  of  arms       ....  24 

"  The  King's  Eevenues."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet  89 

Legends  on  bindings  made  by  T.  Berthelet     .  .       .       .       .       .       65,  89 

Lindau,  binding  of  the  Gospels  of      ........       .  14 

Little  Gidding,  bindings  made  at  .  .       .       .       .       .       .  .21 

Lucretia  stabbing  herself.    The  device  of  T.  Berthelet        .....  49 

Macray,  W.  Dunn.    His  book  on  the  Annals  of  the  Bodleian  Library      ...  70 

Mary  I.,  Queen,  books  bound  for,  by  T.  Berthelet  90  et  seq. 

Meame,  Samuel.    The  painted  edges  of  his  books         .       .       .       .       .  .67 

Mediaeval  English  leather  bindings  described      .......  18 

Molaise's  Gospels        ............  14 

Nantes,  Edict  of,  revoked  in  1685     .........  32 

"  New  Testament.    1536."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet  76 

"  Opus  de  vera  differentia  regiae  potestatis."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet  ...  75 
Ostrich-feather  badge  of  the  Princes  of  Wales       .       .       .  .       .       .  81 

Payne,  Eichard,  trustee  for  the  children  of  T.  Berthelet      .       .       .       .  53 

Powell,  Thomas,  nephew  and  successor  to  T.  Berthelet   .....  49,  51,  52 

Ptolemaeus.    "Geografia.    1548."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet        ....  84 

Pynson,  Eichard,  Eoyal  Printer  before  T.  Berthelet       ......  32 

Quarter-circles  used  as  decorations  for  book  corners    .       .       .  .  73 

",Eex  in  Aeternum  Vive."    Painted  in  gold  on  the  edges  of  bindings  by  T.  Berthelet 

  66,  74,  78,  79 

Eichard  III.'s  act  allowing  foreigners  to  sell  bound  books  in  England  ...  29 
Eose,  large  panel  stamp  of  a  .       .       .  .       .       .       .  .25 

Eyland's  Library,  Manchester,  binding  by  T.  Berthelet  in  the     ....  76 


102 


INDEX. 


St.  Chrysostom.    "  Works."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet  71 

St.  Cuthbert's  Gospels,  binding  of      ........        .  19 

Salvoine,  Martha,  bequest  to,  from  T.  Berthelet      .       .       .       .       .       .  .52 

Satin  bmding  by  T.  Berthelet  77 

"  La  Science  de  Geometric."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet       ......  74 

Seymour,  Edward,  Duke  of  Somerset.    Binding  made  for  him  by  T.  Berthelet      .  77 
Skynner,  Prudence,  bequest  to,  from  T.  Berthelet  .        .       .       .       .       .  .52 

Stamps  for  bookbinding  used  by  T.  Berthelet    .......  62 

Stowe  missal       .............  14 

Supporters  used  by  Henry  VII.,  Henry  VIII.,  and  James  I.        .       .       .       .  69 

Theophylactus.   "  In  omnes  divi  Pauli  epistolas  enarrationes."   Bound  by  T.  Berthelet  78 
Ties  in  early  English  bindings  .........  59 

Tracts  bound  in  satin  by  T.  Berthelet    .       .       .       .       .       .       .       .  .77 

Trinity  College,  Oxford,  binding  by  T.  Berthelet  at  78 

Trogus  Pompeius.  "  Chorographica."  Bound  by  T.  Berthelet  .  .  .  .81 
Tudor  heraldic  badges       ...........  23 

Types  used  by  T.  Berthelet  48 

Velvet  binding  by  T.  Berthelet  79 

Venetian  bindings        .       .       .       .       .       .  .       .       .       .  .15 

Verard,  Antoiae.    Books  printed  by  him  in  the  library  of  Henry  VII.        .       .  24 
"  Vitae  iUustrium  Virorum."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet      ......  68 

Weale,  W.  H.  James.    His  researches  into  the  history  of  blind-stamped  bindings  20 
Wekes,  John,  bequest  to,  from  T.  Berthelet  .       .       .       .       .  53 

Westminster  Abbey,  binding  at,  with  the  arms  of  Edward  IV.        .       .       .  .13 

Wheatley,  H.  B.    His  book  on  the  bindings  ia  the  British  Museum    .       .       .  61 

Wm  of  T.  Berthelet  '     .       .       .  .51 

Winchester  Domesday  Book,  binding  of  the  .       .       .  20 

Witinton,  Robert.  Gold-tooled  binding  on  one  of  his  manuscripts  .  .  .  .17 
Xenophon.    "  La  Cyropedie."    Bound  by  T.  Berthelet        .       .       .       .       .  83 


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